Is your AC in the heat of battle?

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

All of us here at SERVPRO of Bowie hope you are enjoying the summer break, whether it’s hitting the pool or the ocean for a family vacation. As we are reaching record highs this season, your AC maybe taking a toll and packing heat from the outside air.AC leaks are very common and can actually freeze the refrigerant coils  due to extreme heat. This may not seem like a big deal at first, but it will lead to leaks around your HVAC Unit and furnace. With that being said, here a few tips and suggestions to help you avoid a hot mess of an AC unit:

• Turn the AC unit immediately if you spot frozen evaporator coil until the problem is successfully corrected.
• Replace your Air filter every 30 to 90 days
• Do not Cover any air vents or registers
• For systems that drain by gravity, be sure the condensate is flowing freely to the outside; the drain line (especially the elbow) may be plugged with mold and slime.
• For systems that use a condensate pump, if the pump has failed, that could lead to water backing up in the system and overflowing the pan.
• That the large pan below the cold coil (called the condensate pan) is not rotted and full of holes, and leaking water into the house. Note, that in most cases, replacing the pan below the coil is usually not something a homeowner can tackle. A leaking pan is almost always better repaired by a licensed air conditioning heating ventilation contractor (HVAC).
• Clean the elbowed plug that leads to the condensate pan. You may need to cut and replace the plastic elbow, depending on whether it has slime/mold or not.
• Use a shop vacuum to the end of the condensate drain, if any, and run the vacuum for a few seconds to pull any dried or wet contents out of the line. You need to remove the shop vacuum’s paper air filter to do this.
• For metal Condensate pans, use bleach and water solution to routinely clear you drain line and prevent it from creating mildew.
  • Plastic/copper drains can be corroded and damaged. It may easier to use chlorine tablets instead.

For more information, go to https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a7782/quick-fixes-for-leaky-ac-systems-8925561/

And if all else fails, we’re always here to help remediate any water, fire or mold damages that wreak havoc on your home. Please call us at (301)-459-0444 or 1-800 SERVPRO for SERVPRO of Bowie.