During summer, the air conditioner comes in handy at keeping your house cool and comfortable. Unfortunately, it can cause serious injuries or even fire when you mishandle it. Thankfully, according to AC repair services providers, there are several things you can do to stay safe with your appliance:
Beware of changes in your appliance.
Sometimes accidents happen due to ignorance. Just like any other appliance, it’s normal for the air conditioner to develop problems. For example, it can start making weird noises, the wires might stick out of the appliance, or the refrigerant might leak.
When you notice anything out of the ordinary, don’t put it off and hope things will get better. Instead, contact an AC technician and ask them to inspect the appliance.
Regularly clean/change the air filters.
The role of the air filter is to remove contaminants from the air and prevent them from coming into contact with the air conditioning system. In addition to ensuring that the air conditioner is functioning optimally, it also works at ensuring that the house is as comfortable as possible and free from any pollutants such as dirt, dust, and allergens.
At least once a month, take a look at the air filter. If it’s old or damaged, it’s putting you and your family at the risk of inhaling polluted air. If you suffer from allergies, the dirty filters put you at the risk of coming into contact with allergens, and your condition might flare-up.
To avoid this, clean or replace the air filter if dirty.
Tune-up the appliance before summer
During winter, if you are like other homeowners, you don’t use the air conditioner. In addition to the filter being dirty, the wires might be damaged, or you might be having circuitry issues. If you don’t attend to them early enough, these issues pose a significant danger to you and your property.
The dirty and damaged filters cause allergies and other health complications, while the improper wiring puts you at the risk of getting electrocuted. For you to prevent these issues from coming about, hire a reputable and certified AC tune-up professional to inspect the appliance and tune it up if necessary.
Disconnect the power sources during servicing
Whether you are doing the work yourself or you hired a professional, you should always switch off the power sources when servicing the appliance. This is to avoid getting electrocuted as you are working. You should note that some appliances have more than one power switch, and if you don’t switch all of them off, you will be putting yourself at the risk of getting electrocuted.
Before you begin the work, take the time to read the owner’s manual and ensure you fully understand it.
Keep the vents clear or any blockages.
Blocked vents not only translate to an overworking air conditioner, but they also put the appliance at the risk of blowing up. To stay safe, keep the supply and return vents free of any blockages. This calls for you to move any furniture and other items away from the vents.
Keep kids away from outdoor units.
Kids are curious, and this can put them into problems. If you have an exposed outdoor unit, the kids might be tempted to stick toys inside them. This puts the outdoor unit at the risk of getting damaged. The kids can also get electrocuted or hurt in other ways.
To avoid this, keep the outdoor unit as far away from the kids as much as possible. If possible, enclose the unit with a cage in such a way that the kids can’t access them.
Clean the area around the air conditioning unit
When you are operating with a dirty unit, heat can build up putting the property at the risk of catching fire. The excessive heat also puts the appliance at the risk of failing to work. To be safe, ensure there are no flammable or combustible materials near the appliance.
Have any repair work done by an expert
When the appliance fails, ensure reputable air conditioning repair services Vienna VA do the repairs. Some homeowners try to cut corners by hiring cheap contractors, but don’t do this as you will be setting yourself up for trouble.
