3 Easy Maintenance Steps That Can Keep Your Air Conditioning Unit Running Optimally

Air conditioning maintenance should be a top priority if you own a home. That's because negligence can result in costly repairs and replacements. Fortunately, you don't have to be an HVAC expert to take care of an air conditioning unit. These care steps will suffice. 

1. Clean the Outside Fins 

On the outside of your condenser unit, there are fins. They are what the fan uses to suck up cool air. Unfortunately, this can't happen correctly when the outside fins get too dirty. You'll need to keep an eye on these fins, keeping them clean over the months.

This doesn't have to be a challenge. All you need to use is a can of compressed air. Direct the pressurized air over each section of the fins. Keep spraying until you see no traces of dirt and debris. This simple step every couple of months can keep your AC unit working great.

2. Make Sure the Condenser Is Level 

Every now and then, the condenser unit outside can become unlevel. Although this may seem like a non-issue, it can drastically affect the performance of your cooling system. For this reason, you need to regularly check the balance of the condenser.

For this task, you need a level device. It's not that expensive and will show you right away if your condenser unit is level or not. If it's not, you need to make the proper adjustments to either side. Blocks of wood can help you with this adjustment, as well as bricks and even pallets.

3. Switch Out the Air Filter 

If the air filter gets too dirty, then your AC unit will have a lot harder time running efficiently. Severe damage could even result. So that this doesn't happen to your residential cooling system, get in the habit of switching this filter out every couple of months.

Before you do, make sure you know what dimensions the replacement filter needs to be. It's also important to choose a high-quality replacement filter. Otherwise, your filter will get dirty relatively quickly, and you'll spend more money over the years on replacements. 

Perhaps the most important system in your home -- at least during the summer -- is the AC unit. It helps you and your family stay cool. So that it always works great and efficient throughout these hotter months, make sure you know how to maintain it. Keep up with maintenance as often as you can too to avoid costly issues. 

For more information, contact a company like Baton Rouge Air Conditioning & Heating.