If you’re a Game of Thrones fan you know the emotional roller coaster on which you’ve agreed to ride. You’ve traversed King’s Landing from Joffrey’s rise to Cersei’s humiliating defeat. You’ve applauded Arya’s development from grief-stricken child to hell-bent assassin. You screamed at your television when Jon Snow was slain. As riveting a series as it is, Game of Thrones is still a work of fiction. And even though you’ve been “Team Stark” from Day 1, you aren’t looking to avenge your parents’ deaths or find meaning in strange premonitions alongside Hodor.
The reality is that you live in Arizona and know darn well that Summer is Coming. Much like the characters in GoT who say, “Winter is coming,” as they dread the coldest season of the year, in the Valley of the Sun, we dread our hot summers. Besides preparing snacks for Sunday night’s GoT viewing now that the show is back for its sixth season, there are other things you should be doing with the coming of summer – specifically for your air conditioning unit.
1. Replace the filter
Whether disposable or reusable, filters should be replaced or cleaned once per month at minimum. If the filter is dirty, the unit has to work harder to deliver cold air through your home each summer. If you think you’ll have trouble remembering to do this, write yourself a note to place on the fridge or set a recurring calendar reminder on your computer. Better yet, get into the habit of replacing it in conjunction with another household chore like paying bills. For example, when the mortgage is due, so is the filter change.
2. Maintain the outdoor component
First, turn your unit off entirely and check the outdoor compressor to ensure it’s not blocked or clogged with overgrown plants, debris, grass, dust, or dirt. Remove the panels or gently clean between the openings with a soft brush or cloth. Be careful not to unplug any wires attached to the fan or bend the fins or coils inside.
Ideally, you should clean the outdoor component once per quarter/season – especially prior to summer.
3. Don’t neglect ductwork
Condensation can lead to moldy ducts which then lead to a broken unit. Avoid this problem by checking all ducts and wiping the parts to which you have easy access. Clean and inspect the register box in each room of the house. In general, you should look for wear and inspect with the understanding that ducts should always be clean and dry. If you do happen to notice water accumulation, contact a professional immediately to correctly diagnose the root cause of the problem.
Day & Night Air
Like the characters in Game of Thrones, you must constantly be prepared to protect what’s rightfully yours – in this case, a properly functioning air conditioning unit! Once you’ve done due diligence with the self-cleaning tasks, it’s time to schedule preventative maintenance. Day & Night offers various maintenance plans to meet your needs with affordable monthly payment plans.
Summer is coming! Unless you want to suffer in the sweltering desert heat like the Mother of Dragons on GoT, you should develop and practice your regular air conditioning maintenance routine.