How can you keep your AC running efficiently this summer? 4 tips from KS experts

While many are pretty good about keeping their cars maintained, a Kansas contractor says a lot of people don’t realize they should be doing the same thing with their air conditioner.

But as the summer heat creeps up, and as air conditioners continue to run all day, maintenance is more important than ever.

“A lot of the times, we just take it for granted, the whole air conditioning system,” said Jay Jayarathne, president of Andover-based Ball Heating and Air. “It gets neglected right until it breaks.”

To prevent an emergency, he and other Wichita-area HVAC technicians say there are a few things you can do to keep your air conditioner running efficiently all summer long.

Here’s what the experts recommend.

Change your air filter

“The biggest thing they can do is make sure that their air filter is clean,” BJ Loewenstein, vice president of Kelley & Dawson Service, told The Wichita Eagle.

While every home is different, Jayarathne said smaller air filters need changing monthly, while bigger ones can last up to 6 months.

“The way to tell if they’re dirty is to hold them up,” Loewenstein said. “If you take them outside and hold them up to the sun, and you don’t see light coming through them, they’re dirty” and it’s “past the time” to change the filter.

Clean the condenser

The next best thing you can do is clean your condenser, which is the outdoor AC unit, said Chris Wilson, an owner and master HVAC technician with Integrity Trade Services.

In Wichita especially, he said you want to make sure it is not covered in cottonwood.

“Take a hose and make sure the condenser is cleaned out,” Jayarathne said, adding that this should be done once a year.

Loewenstein said that while anyone can spray down the outside, he recommends calling a contractor for a complete cleaning.

Check your air vents

“The other thing is making sure that all the air vents in the house are open,” Jayarathne said. “Some people like to close them off because they want to direct more air to the upstairs or direct more air to the downstairs, depending on the season.”

But this can actually choke off the air supply and create problems for the whole system, he said.

“I go into houses and they’ll tell me my AC is freezing up or it’s not running as efficiently as it could ... and half the time I find some of the air vents are either closed up or taped up because they’re wanting to direct more air upstairs.”

Call a professional

“If it’s hot outside and their house isn’t staying cool enough for them” even after doing these tips, “there’s probably a mechanical issue somewhere,” Wilson said. This usually requires an HVAC professional.

Loewenstein said that if it’s hot outside and your outdoor unit isn’t running at all, you should turn the AC off and call a technician immediately.

And even if it’s only every other year, Jayarathne said having an HVAC professional come out and check your AC could mean small problems do not become a summer emergency.