|
|
Related Showrooms
• Radiantec - Radiantec Solar heating systems for home heat
• Trane - Enjoy perfect heating, cooling and beyond year-round.
• groSolar - Solar power, water, heat. Clean & safe. Beat global warming
• Cadet - Zonal heating solutions for your home from Cadet
Here’s another great tip from BobVila.com.
Get a jump on the hot weather by making sure your room air conditioner’s up to the challenge.
Before you pull it out of storage, consider the age of your air conditioner. Efficiencies have improved so much that replacing an old clunker from the ’70s with a new 10-seer unit could cut your cooling costs in half.
Regardless of age, all units need maintenance every season and about once a month during the season. First, unplug the unit and see your manual for instructions on discharging the capacitors to avoid a shock.
Dirt is your air conditioner’s worst enemy. Clean out the drain ports with a length of wire. Vacuum the evaporator and condenser coils and gently straighten any bent fins with a fin comb, which you can get at most hardware or plumbing supply stores. Remove the filter and wash and dry it thoroughly or replace it with a new one if it’s the disposable kind.
Run the unit for a few minutes to see how it performs. If the fan’s making noise, try tightening the blade’s set screw as well as the bolts that hold the fan unit to its housing. If the power cord, switch or thermostat is worn or faulty, you can replace it without having to buy a new unit.
The coils, compressor and motor are all sealed and should be repaired by a professional. On the bright side, if you do this check early, you won’t be put on someone’s waiting list in 90-degree heat!
Find out more at BobVila.com:
the ultimate home improvement web site!
© 2008 BobVila.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
