Five Steps to Wake Up Your Home After a Restful Winter

Remember months ago, when you tucked away your air conditioner for winter hibernation? Now the warmer weather is calling for you to get it ready for its peak season. Before turning up the chill factor of your home, here’s five things you should do to ensure your AC unit is ready for summer’s hottest days.

Think of the filter as the secret gatekeeper of the air you breathe inside your home. Your Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system (HVAC) prevents dust and debris from entering, which in turn, protects your unit’s parts. But over time, air filters get clogged.

Something you should keep in mind is whether you have reusable or disposable air filters. A disposable filter typically has a cardboard frame and a paper or fiber mesh surface, while a permanent, reusable filter is made of sturdy material with a metal frame. It’s coated with a special washable finish. If you’re cleaning a reusable one, check the manufacturer’s instructions for washing. You’ll likely just need to rinse the filter with water and let it dry completely before use. In some cases, you can even vacuum away the dust.

Your HVAC system removes moisture from the air to help control humidity levels. This excess moisture eventually collects as condensation on the evaporator coil.

To clean the drainage line, turn off the power of your HVAC system and use warm, soapy water or vinegar to remove debris or algae and improve your drain line’s efficiency.

The long winter months can be tough on the exterior of your air conditioner. Dust and filth build up over time, clogging the unit and slowing down its overall performance. If dirt gets into the air conditioner itself, this can cause unnecessary wear and tear on the system’s parts and impede the airflow of the unit.

We recommend turning your unit's power off and spraying the exterior with a garden hose or power washer to clear the unit of seasonal debris.

Dust connections expand and contract over time. This causes the joints to open and leak, leading to expensive energy inefficiencies.

The first step you should take to check for air leakage is to look for visible openings and tears. Wrap the area with foiled tape to seal them off. Next, check for leaks that are harder to see by putting your A/C on full blast and placing your hand near the joints. The presence of blowing air will help you determine which areas require reinforcement with foiled tape.

Now that your unit is ready to take you through the warm weather, you might be worried about high energy bills coming from your A/C. Heating and cooling account for 40-60% of a home’s energy usage—that’s information we don’t take lightly.

If the above resonates with you, it’s time to invest in a smart thermostat, which will help you to conserve energy in your home, reducing your energy bills while keeping you and your loved ones comfortable.

The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium enables you to save up to 26%^* on heating and cooling costs by changing your home’s temperature based on your routine and who’s home.

In addition, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium’s indoor air quality monitoring feature helps you unlock a healthier home by helping you keep an eye on your home’s carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compound (VOC) levels, and relative humidity.

A small device with big positive impacts, a smart thermostat adds comfort and convenience to your home, and pays for itself in energy savings.

Looking for other ways to save money and energy throughout the summer months? Check back soon for even more tips on how you can make better efficiency decisions every day.

^* Compared to a hold of 72°F/22°C.