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.
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