​Working around electrical energy and the HVAC’s moving parts is inherently dangerous, so it is paramount that power to the unit is completely shut off before maintenance. You should find a shut off box close to the exterior HVAC unit, and then shut off power to the unit on the interior breaker box.

​You will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the HVAC exterior cage away from the system to remove debris that has worked its way in. Use a shop vac to remove leaves and additional debris from the interior of the unit.

​Dirt, lint, scale, biofilms, and oxidation accumulation need to be removed. Using a powerful shop vac with a brush attachment clean the interior of the unit. After cleaning with a shop vac, use a water hose (not a pressure washer, as it could damage the blades) to spray the fins from the inside out to remove debris that has built up between blades. A commercial cleaning spray may be necessary if the fins are extremely dirty.

The pad of your HVAC unit can become unlevel as soil settles or erodes. When this happens you can use a shim to bring the unit level. If you are using a heat pump system, a slight slope for winter run off is perfectly acceptable. Just ensure the slope stays consistent. ​

Air inside your home blows through the evaporator coil, the cool coil absorbs heat from the air (cooling it), then circulates it back into your home. The humidity in your home condenses on the cool evaporator coil and drips into the pan below. The pan drains to a tube that is routed out of your home. This tube slowly accrues algae and mold that has the potential to clog the drain. Many HVAC systems come equipped with a drain float that will stop your system from cooling to prevent flooding.  

To clean your drain line, find the line where it exits the evaporator enclosure. It is usually a visible 1-inch PVC pipe. Typically the pipe runs to the outside near the condenser unit, but can also run to a utility sin or floor drain. Attic units usually run down an exterior wall.​

​​Start by removing wet vac filter, then place the hose of the wet vac over the exterior drain line. Use a hand towel or duct tape to cause a seal around the drain line and shop vac hose, and allow the the shop vac to run for a few minutes before turning the vacuum off. This should clean your drain of algae and other biological concerns

Your HVAC filter should be replaced at minimum of twice a year but check it regularly to ensure optimal efficiency and prevent circulation of air born allergens. Homeowners with pets may need to change it more frequently. In addition, if you are remodeling your home air born particle from drywall or sanding will require frequent monitoring for air filter replacement as particle will clog your filter and reduce airflow to your system.  ​

While the task listed above will extend the life of your unit and keep it running at optimal efficiency, there are maintenance task only a licensed HVAC technician can perform. Refrigerant leaks can lead to compressor failure that require tools and the skills of a professional. In addition, clean ducts and proper airflow are crucial to a well-operating system. While these tips can help you maintain your HVAC system, having an experience contractor service your system twice a year can help avoid HVAC system failure and costly repair. HVAC technicians are specially trained to spot impending problems before they become expensive repairs and make efficiency adjustments with trade specific tools.  

If the AC Maintenance tasks mentioned above are above your skill or comfort level, call the Lake Charles AC Repair Guys at Accurate Air and Heat.  Accurate Air maintenance visits are cost effective solutions to reducing your utility bills and optimizing your HVAC system for efficiency.

If you need a new air conditioning unit, there are a few numbers and acronyms you will want to become familiar with. We commonly come across the question, “what is a SEER rating,” and is it important. 

When your AC has met the end of its useful life, you will probably need to bone up on Department of Energy minimum efficiency requirements to understand shopping and comparing new HVAC units.    

HVAC systems are big-ticket items, so you are smart to investigate pertinent ratings before investing in a new air conditioning unit.  

SEER is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and concerns how much energy an HVAC system uses over the course of a year. The DOE, US Dept. of Energy, has set a minimum efficiency rating for all new HVAC systems installed in the US by zone. 

SEER is the measurement used to determine that efficiency. The higher the SEER number, the more efficient the unit should be, and theoretically, how much you can save on your utility bills. 

The SEER rating range is typically somewhere between 14 (the DOE minimum requirement for Louisiana in 2022) and 27, so any new HVAC system you purchase will probably have a higher efficiency rating than the 15+-year-old unit you are replacing. In addition, the SEER rating also allows homeowners to compare one HVAC system against others. 

SEER in practical terms – The amount you can save on utility bills varies greatly and is dependent on the size of your home or business, how well your structure is insulated, how much you pay per kilowatt-hour, your replacement unit SEER rating, and your current utility bills.

Savings can be estimated using a SEER calculator (free tools are available online), or by downloading the SEER spreadsheet calculator from Energy.gov.

Determining a SEER Rating
The SEER rating is determined by calculating an HVAC unit’s average performance over the course of a year, including, the amount of cooling and heating your system contributes per units of energy used. Still, it boils down to the less energy used to cool or heat your home, the higher the SEER rating will be.

Step 1
Locate the BTUs (British Thermal Unit) of your HVAC, typically found on the air conditioning unit or in the owner’s manual. 

Step 2
Locate the watts per hour used for your HVAC system, also found either on the unit or in the owner’s manual.  

Step 3
Now calculate the BTUs used over the course of the year, for example purposes let’s just round it to 1,000 hours. Now multiply the BTUs from step one by 1,000 to get the number of BTUs used over the course of a year.  

Step 4
Now calculate the number of watts per hours used over the course of a year by multiplying watts per hours from step 2 by 1,000.

Step 5
Now divide the BTUs used (derived from step 3) by the number of watts-hours consumed (derived from step 4) to arrive at the SEER rating.

​Higher efficiency usually comes at a higher price. The technology that goes into producing higher SEER ratings increases the cost of the unit; you will want to weigh the upfront cost-to-advantage ratio when choosing a new ac unit, a professional HVAC contractor’s experience and knowledge can be valuable when making this decision.   If you have your sights set on a specific brand, don’t worry, most manufacturers have a range of systems with minimum to high-efficiency options available to meet their client's needs and budget. 

TAGS & Related Pages:

AC Repair - Lake Charles  
AC Repair - Moss Bluff LA