Maintaining Your Air Conditioner in the Winter

During the summer months, your air conditioner unit is probably on your mind constantly.  You are downright grateful when it is working properly and may find yourself cursing it when it is not.  However, as soon as the first fall chill crosses the threshold of your front door, you probably switch it off and don’t think about it again until things heat back up.  This temptation is certainly understandable.  After all, what could your air conditioner possibly need during the winter when it is turned off completely and not in use?

 

It’s true that you don’t need to worry too much about your air conditioner during the winter, but you will want to perform some preventative care even when you are not using it, in order to make sure it is ready to go on that first day of summer.

 

First, you’ll want to make sure that your air conditioner is clean before you put it out of your mind.  If you have a wall unit, split system, this may mean cleaning it yourself using an at-home cleaning kit, or having it professionally flushed and cleaned by a trained air conditioner professional.  By making sure it is clean before it is turned off for a few months, you can prevent dangerous mold growth inside the unit as well as an inefficient and clogged up rotor when you go to turn it on again.

 

If you have a portable air conditioner that is either moved from room to room in your home or temporarily mounted in a window, you will want to store it away safely, either in its original box or using another safe and dry method.

 

For a central air conditioner that is located outside your home, you will still want to make sure it’s clean, but you also may choose to cover it for the winter.  Covering your air conditioner is particularly important in climates that experience harsh winter weather.  Accumulated snow or rain can damage an air conditioner system easily.  Similarly, bugs, dust, dirt, and debris can become caught in the air conditioner and cause it to operate with less than its maximum efficiency.  There are many commercially available air conditioner covers that can protect your central air conditioning unit during difficult winter months.  The investment in this type of cover may prolong the life of your air conditioner, actually saving you money in the long run.

 

The proper cleaning and storage of your air conditioning unit during the winter can mean the difference between a comfortable and cool welcome to the hot summer or a painful and frustrating call to a repair service.

Do You Need an Air Conditioner?

Homeownership is a dream for many people and moving into your own home can be a very joyous occasion.  However, you may not fully appreciate the many costs of homeownership until you have experienced it for some time.  An air conditioner is a necessary appliance investment for many families in many climates.  However, for others it is a luxury.  So how can you determine if this expense is truly necessary for your home and your needs?

Climate

The most obvious thing to consider when determining if you actually need an air conditioner is the climate in which you live.  Perhaps you live in a fairly temperate climate that is only truly hot for one or two months out of the year.  If you are unsure if you can afford the expense of an air conditioner and you live in this type of climate, you may want to try and make do with electric fans, ceiling fans or even a swamp cooler that operates using water evaporation and therefore is considerably less expensive.  If, however, you live in a climate with punishing summers and warm temperatures year round, you may need to find the room in your budget for an air conditioner for your home.

Family

You will also need to consider the people who will be living in and visiting your home frequently.  You may be cold natured and able to tolerate heat very well.  However, if you have young children or elderly family or friends who will be living in your home or visiting, they often do not respond to the heat well and may require an air conditioner to live comfortably and safely in your home.

Other Options

As we have already mentioned, there are also other options for cooling your home if you choose not to have central air conditioning.  For instance, you may want to consider purchasing and installing a split system air conditioner for the rooms where people most often congregate.  This can be significantly cheaper than a central system that is connected to your home’s duct system.  There are also portable air conditioner options that can actually be physically moved from room to room wherever they are most needed.  Fans, both the portable electric variety and the static ceiling fan can cool many homes effectively, especially in dry climates. 

You may feel that you need an air conditioner simply because you have always had one, but it may save you a good deal of money if you take the time to consider whether an air conditioner is a necessity for your home.