AC Maintenance You Should Do Before Winter

Regular AC servicing extends your unit’s lifespan, keeps it operating properly, and gives you peace of mind.

If you want to keep your air conditioner in great shape in St. Louis, there are a few steps we recommend that you take before the winter arrives. Follow this guide, and see how you can prepare your AC unit for the cold weather.

1. Change Your Air Filter

In most homes with central heating and air conditioning, the same filter will be used for both your furnace and your AC unit. Most homes need their filters changed every 90 days.

Swapping out your old air filter for a new filter is a good idea in the autumn – you’re going to be using your furnace heavily during the winter, so this helps keep the air in your home clean and healthy.

2. Clean Off Your Outdoor AC Unit & Cut Back Plant Growth

We recommend picking a dry fall day and going outside to clean off your AC unit. Remove all grass clippings, twigs, leaves, sticks, and any other debris from the unit. You can also hose it down to remove dirt, dust, bugs, and grime.

This also may be a good time to prune back plant growth. If you have shrubs or trees with branches growing near the unit, you should clear them away to ensure the unit remains unobstructed.

3. Cover Your Unit Up With A Breathable Cover

Air conditioners can handle the snow and ice without damage, but covering up your unit with a breathable cover does help protect it from pine needles, twigs, leaves, and other debris that will tend to accumulate over the fall and winter.

However, make sure that the cover is breathable! If the AC cover traps moisture inside your unit and does not allow it to get out, this can actually damage your unit, causing corrosion and rust. So don’t use a tarp or another plastic covering that’s not breathable – invest in a purpose-built AC cover that will block debris while still allowing moisture to evaporate out of the unit.

4. AC Maintenance Call Before Winter Sets In

Regular AC servicing extends your unit’s lifespan, keeps it operating properly, and gives you peace of mind. Whether you’ve been having issues with your AC, or it’s just an older unit (10+ years), and you want to make sure it’s still in good shape, it’s a good idea to get it serviced every year by a professional from Thomas Hoffman Air Conditioning & Heating.