Summer weather is finally here in Montgomery County, what are you most looking forward to? Some choose to spend time outdoors soaking in the sun at Rock Creek Regional Park, while others beat the heat with local brews at 7 Locks Brewing. Among all of the planned summer activities, your air conditioning unit is keeping your home cool and comfortable for your return. However, it is important your AC system is prepared for the workload the summer season brings. In this article, we discuss tips to prepare your air conditioning unit for summer in Rockville, MD to avoid a breakdown or costly AC repairs!

Why Is It Important To Prepare Your AC Unit?

Summer temperatures in Rockville, MD and surrounding areas can reach high 90’s, which means air conditioning is a necessity. While your air conditioner is built to combat high temperatures, it is not built to operate with malfunctions and obstructions. Common malfunctions and obstructions can include clogged air filters, a dirty condensing unit, or a broken component. If your AC system is operating with an underlying issue or obstruction, it causes it to work harder to maintain your home’s thermostat setting. This can raise utility bills and lead to an AC breakdown in Rockville, MD, which is uncomfortable and costly. It is important to take proper steps to prepare your air conditioner to ensure it remains efficient and effective all summer long.

Preparing Your Air Conditioner For Summer

It is essential for homeowners to ensure their air conditioner is working properly before the summer season is in full swing, because it helps ensure their comfort will remain during the high temperatures. A broken air conditioner and a Rockville summer is not a great combination, and we recommend you do everything you can to avoid this situation! Below are five ways homeowners can help prepare their AC system for the summer season.

• Schedule AC Maintenance
• Change Air Filters
• Install A Programmable Thermostat
• Remove Debris From Outdoor Unit
• Open Air Vents

Schedule AC Maintenance

Air conditioning maintenance is the best way to ensure your unit is prepared for the workload of the spring and summer seasons. When your car needs maintenance, most take it to the professionals to be worked on. When you are sick, most go to a doctor for a diagnosis. We encourage homeowners to treat their air conditioning system the same way as any other important appliance or necessary appointment, because it is one of the main sources of comfort in your home. Air conditioning maintenance allows a trained Glenmont technician to thoroughly inspect each aspect of the system. Our team can identify any underlying malfunctions and prevent future problems from arising. The preventative service avoids an uncomfortable situation and can save you time, money, and stress in the future. Different air conditioning systems require different repairs and maintenance, but each air conditioner will receive the following maintenance tasks during an appointment with Glenmont Heating and Air Conditioning:

• Lubricate all moving parts
• Calibrate thermostat
• Change/clean air filters
• Inspect & clean condensate line
• Clean condensing unit
• Check refrigerant levels
• Confirm electrical connections

Air conditioning maintenance in Rockville, MD and surrounding areas can ensure your home is a comfortable oasis from the heat this summer!

Change Air Filters

The air filters in your home can determine many aspects, such as air quality, airflow, comfort, and efficiency. During the cooling process, your air conditioner sends air through an air filter to catch harmful pollutants before air is distributed throughout your home. Overtime, the air filter can fill up with pollutants and allergens and need to be changed out with a fresh, new filter. If your air conditioning system is operating with a dirty filter, the unit struggles to push air through the filter pores. This results in an increased workload for your air conditioner, which creates stress and a possible breakdown or broken component. Additionally, clogged air filters allow more pollutants to slip by and decrease your home’s air quality. We recommend changing air filters in your home every 90 days to ensure air conditioning efficiency, air quality, and provide other benefits to your home. If you are unsure what air filter your home requires, give us a call! Glenmont proudly offers a wide range of air filters in Rockville, MD and surrounding areas to keep you breathing easy at home.

Install A Programmable Thermostat

Many homeowners look to reduce utility costs in the summer months due to high bills. If you are looking for ways to lower your air conditioning bill in Rockville, MD, consider a programmable or smart thermostat! These thermostats operate on pre-programmed schedules to help reduce unnecessary home cooling. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lowering your thermostat 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day can reduce heating and cooling bills by as much as 10%. It can be difficult to remember to turn your thermostat back before leaving for work or going to sleep, but programmable and smart thermostats help with this tedious task!

Remove Debris From Outdoor Unit

An easy task homeowners can do to increase air conditioning efficiency this summer is ensure the outdoor condensing unit remains clean and clear of debris. Debris such as tree limbs, sticks, grass clippings, leaves, and trash can obstruct the unit’s airflow and cause it to work harder. While we do not recommend cleaning debris from the inside of the unit, homeowners should remove accessible debris weekly to keep your air conditioner running smoothly!

Open Air Vents

Contrary to popular belief, closing air vents will not reduce heating and cooling costs. If you close air vents around your home, it increases pressure in the air ducts and can lead to cracked ductwork. If your air ducts have holes or cracks, air can easily escape before it makes it to your home. Air escaping increases the amount of cool air your air conditioner needs to produce to meet the thermostat setting, which increases the unit’s workload. Additionally, it is beneficial for homeowners to seal other cracks within walls, windows, and doors before the summer season to prevent air from escaping.

Not only will properly preparing your air conditioner help avoid AC repairs and breakdowns, but reduce utility bills as well! We are here to keep you cool and comfortable this summer, so give us a call to schedule AC maintenance in Bethesda, MD and surrounding areas!