The most important thing during the cold periods of the year is, of course, to stay warm. There are several different ways people choose to approach the problem, but if air conditioning is your primary choice then there are a few things you should know. I wanted to learn more about properly utilizing this device during the cold months so I talked to Allied Express. They told me how to best take care of my unit and what to do to realize its full potential. Here are some problems you can encounter during the winter:
Dirty Vents
You are not satisfied with the airflow, nothing happens when you increase the temperature? Don’t panic, there are different reasons why this might happen, but in the vast majority of cases it’s dirty vents that prevent the air to flow properly and cause the unit to drain more energy for less than satisfactory performance.
An easy solution to this problem is to schedule regular maintenance or change filters and clean vents yourself. Whatever you choose it is important to do it regularly to avoid poor performance or sudden breaks when you need your AC unit 24/7.
Leaking Heat
If you notice that not all parts of your home are heated equally you’d think that something is wrong with your AC, that might be the case, but usually, the problem resides within your home as even the smallest cracks in walls or windows might cause the temperature to drop significantly.
The solution is to conduct a thorough investigation of those particular areas and see whether that’s the case. If the problem persists after you’ve sealed of cracks, then you should consider calling a professional to look at your unit.
Broken Thermostat
A broken thermostat can show the wrong temperature which can be annoying but something you can live with. The problem is when a broken thermostat gets a mind of its own and starts regulating temperatures randomly.
This is not a major issue and can be easily resolved by replacing the thermostat entirely, recalibrating it, or changing its batteries. This might also be a good opportunity to replace your old thermostat with a new, digital one, which gives you a lot more options to manipulate temperatures, and you can even do it remotely via a phone app.
Check Outdoor Unit
Low temperatures usually cause freezing, the same goes with your outdoor unit which also needs some love every now and then. The entire system can fail if the fans are frozen, and the heating pump stops working.
The problem is that the system can’t defrost itself, and what you should do if that happens is turn off the AC, prevent any water to flow through it, and call a professional. The best way to prevent this issue is to winterize your outdoor unit before the temperatures go low. Regular maintenance from a pro might resolve this very easily.
Check Pipes and Coils
Freeze can definitely affect your unit negatively If you hadn’t prepared properly. If your fans and coils freeze and you continue to pressure the unit to work, then they might burst. When this happens there’s not much you do but turn off the system and call professionals.
To prevent it from happening you need to go out and check your outdoor unit every now and then to see if ice is starting to pile up. If that’s the case, discontinue the use and schedule a visit from your HVAC person to help you resolve this problem as quickly as possible.
