It’s been a mild summer so far here in Southwest Michigan, but with summer really kicking into gear this week with temperatures peaking in the high 80s and low 90s, you may have noticed your AC isn’t battling the heat and keeping your home as cool as you’d like. 

Quick quiz: If you turn down the thermostat to 75 degrees, is the air conditioner able to cool down to that temperature or does it work all day slowly getting there? If you’re noticing it’s taking a long time to get to your ideal home temp or it’s not getting there at all, our heating and cooling experts have 3 tips to cooler central air conditioning in your home, and thankfully two of them are DIY hacks!

1. Call an HVAC Tech for Annual AC Maintenance 

Okay, first up a hands-free way to help your AC run more efficiently. The best thing you can do to ensure your AC works well for as long as possible is to have it serviced by an HVAC tech every spring.  They will test, clean, and adjust it so it’s ready to run optimally in time for summer. Besides helping you to save money with lower energy bills in the summer due to regular AC maintenance, with most companies you can typically save money by signing up for an annual maintenance contract to service both your air conditioner and your furnace. 

At BOSS Services, we actually have 2 ways we help customers save money with maintenance plans:

1. Our Total Home Care Club allows homeowners to have an AC and electrical check-up in the spring  and a furnace and plumbing check-up in the fall to make sure those systems in your home are running well.  This plan also provides priority service to club members, free service fees, 10% overall discount and more, all for just $299 for 1 year! 

2. The BOSS Freedom Plan provides homeowners with a new HVAC system without the headaches of ownership.  Basically you can get a new HVAC system in your home (air conditioner, furnace, boiler, etc.) and receive free service, free maintenance, free air filters, free priority service, and more for 10 years all for a low monthly, interest-free payment! 

2. Clean Return Air vents and Replace Filters 

We know you’ve heard it before, but just like you should have regular oil changes and teeth cleanings, you should also replace your air filters regularly. The good news? You can do this yourself and it’s not expensive to get a new one. Actually, you’ll save money on your energy bill because your AC will run more efficiently when your air filter is replaced every 30-60 days. 

So go ahead, replace an air filter and you can see for yourself how dirty it is from trapping dust and debris. The more clogged the filter, the less air flow and the less cool your air conditioning will be. During months of high usage, replace filters every month. Be sure you know where your return air filters are located—sometimes there’s only one alongside the furnace, but there can also be a filter at each return air vent. Also, while you’re checking those return air vents, be sure to vacuum them thoroughly to remove all dust. 

3. Clean the Condenser Coils on the Outdoor Air Conditioner 

This tip is another DIY hack, and all you have to do is go outside to your air conditioning unit and make sure it is free of obstructions such as grass, weeds, vines and globs of leaves and debris. If you don’t want to deal with the dirty job of cleaning your unit, of course you can call an HVAC tech to do this, but if you want to do it yourself, you can easily clean your condenser coils. 

Here’s how to clean your condenser coils:

1. Turn off the power to the unit.  THIS IS A MUST!  Whenever you are working around any part of your HVAC system, always use caution and turn off the device first. 
2. Get a bottle of dish detergent, ideally one that is about 80 to 90% empty. Fill it with water to make a soapy solution. 
3. Squirt this soapy solution on the outside front of the air conditioner. You should be squirting through some kind of vents or caging to the condenser coils. On most units these are visible on three sides. Get them soapy and after a few minutes of soaking time.
4. Use a garden hose to spray the soap away. You’ll see dirty water and debris flow away from the unit. 
5. Give it an hour to dry up before restoring the power. 

Still Not Sure Why Your AC Isn’t Cooling Your Home?

If your air conditioner still can’t keep up and cool your house after you’ve replaced the filters and cleaned the condenser coils, call an HVAC service tech to do an a/c inspection to determine the problem. As we’ve discussed, we have a couple of different maintenance plan options that will affordably keep your air conditioning running well and all you’ll need to do is just replace air filters regularly.