Photo By -Oxford- at istock

Each new season brings with it a new set of challenges you have to overcome, especially when it comes to your heating and cooling system. When the seasons are about to change, it’s a good idea to have a heating and AC repair expert take a look at your HVAC system to figure out if there are any problems and do a little maintenance. If you want to make sure the AC in your Chattanooga, TN, home is ready to keep your cool during the summer, here’s what you need to do in terms of preparation.

Change Your Air Filter

The air filter is one of the most important parts of any HVAC system. Not only do you need to make sure the air coming into your home is clean, but you also need to have enough airflow in your HVAC system for it to create hot and cold air. This is why one of the most important things you can do when it comes to repair and maintenance is have your air filter replaced on a regular basis.

For most people, replacing an air filter once every 6 months is enough to keep an HVAC system working the way it should. However, you need to change your air filter more often if you have a lot of people living in your home, or if you have several pets. If you live in a household with other adults, you should change your air filter at least once every 3 months. If you live with a large family and have pets, you should take the time to change your air filter once every month. It all depends on how much you value air quality and want to save on AC repair.

The important thing to remember about changing your air filter is that there are a lot of different types of air filters available. If you want the very best air filtration and air quality, you can invest in a HEPA air filter or one with a high MERV rating to filter out more particles.

Seasonal Maintenance

The best thing you can do if you want to avoid expensive AC repairs and make sure you always have cooling you can count on is to have a professional come to your home for seasonal maintenance regularly. Not only is it important to have this maintenance done twice a year, it’s also important to have it done at the right time.

Most people choose to have seasonal maintenance done during the fall and the spring. Fall and spring are the two seasons where you use your heating and cooling least, plus this allows you to get your heating and cooling systems ready for summer and winter when you really need them.

During seasonal maintenance, you want to have an expert look at both your AC and furnace. Even if you’re not going to use your furnace after seasonal maintenance in the spring, it’s a good idea to make sure your HVAC system is ready when you do need it.

In between seasonal maintenance appointments, you should have a repair expert come to your home to clean your HVAC system up a bit every once in a while. Plus, you should have your ducts cleaned every few years.

The Importance of Repairs

In addition to having an expert help you keep up with maintenance and air filter replacements, you also need to make sure you’re keeping up with repairs. The last thing you want is to have a problem with your AC that leaves you without cooling during the summer because you didn’t want to pay for AC repairs when you needed them.

One of the most important things to keep an eye out for when it comes to your AC is any kind of leak. It’s completely normal for your air conditioner to have a little bit of condensation on or around the unit, but there should never be an excess of water. This is a sign that you have a clogged condensate drain pan or drain line, which means you need to have an AC repair expert unclog things for you.

You also want to keep an eye out for refrigerant leaks. Not only are refrigerant leaks a big problem in terms of the performance of your air conditioner, they also expose you to toxic chemicals that you don’t want to get on your skin or in your body.

Is It Time for a New AC?

It’s important to understand that your air conditioner won’t last forever, so you need to replace it after a certain period of time if you don’t want to end up with no cold air. As a general rule, you should expect an air conditioner to last somewhere between 10 to 15 years, although some ACs may last as long as 20 years.

One thing to remember is that your AC will only last a long time if you take good care of it. Neglecting AC repair and maintenance means letting small problems grow into bigger ones, which means you’ll have to replace your AC even sooner. If you want to keep your AC in great shape and have cold air all the time, you need to keep up with AC repairs and maintenance.

Get Some Help

It’s not easy taking care of your air conditioning, especially if you have an older unit. The good news is, you can get a little help from an expert to make keeping up with AC maintenance and repair easy.

If you care about taking care of your home, you need to have a reliable AC repair company on your side. Lucky for you, Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air has you covered if you’re in Chattanooga, TN. Whether you need heating or AC repair, maintenance or installation, call Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air today.