Tips For Shutting Down Your Central Air System For The Winter

If you live in a region where you do not need to make use of your central air conditioning system for a few months, then you need to shut the AC unit down. To do this properly so you avoid future problems and so the system is ready to go for the next summer, you will want to check out the following tips:

Have It Serviced By An HVAC Company

One of the first things you might want to think about doing is having the system serviced by professionals. When the HVAC crew comes to your home, they will check things like the condition of the filter, the rotation of the fan, and other things. They can also check the level of coolant in your central AC system, which is important if your unit is a couple of years old or older. As a unit looses coolant, it will not be able to efficiently cool off your home and this can lead to stress being placed on the mechanics of the AC system. Call around for a local HVAC company that can schedule you for end-of-season air conditioning services.

Give It A Thorough Cleaning

Over the course of the summer, there has likely been various leaves, twigs, bugs, and other debris that has been blown into or against your central air conditioning unit. You will want to clean all of that out of and away from the AC unit before completely closing it for the winter. Of course, you will want to shut off the AC unit before you clean it. Use a garden hose to spray down the fins on the unit and to blast out any twigs that might have fallen down into the unit. This is also a good time to go ahead and trim back any branches or bushes that might be a little too close to the unit. When you are finally done with the AC for the season, you will want to cover it with a cover made for it or a tarp that you can secure in place with the use of bricks or blocks. 

When you make sure that you are shutting down your central air conditioning unit in the best way possible, it will be a lot easier to get it going again next summer. If you need more help with this, you can call for a local AC service, like Art Electric & HVAC Inc, and explain you want assistance with closing down your AC for the cooler months.