Have you ever felt the cool breeze and the leaves falling and pondered, “how to winterize an air conditioner?” Everyone likes going outside for the first in autumn to see the beauty of the leaves changing their color to orange and experiencing the cool breeze one craved during the summertime.
In addition, everyone loves creating worthwhile memories and reminiscing remarkable traditions during autumn, like carving, painting pumpkins, and gathering apples. Indeed, autumn is one of the best seasons to enjoy. Still, we could not neglect the reality that this season is the transition towards the cold, harsh winter.
Thus, this season is not only the time to go to the nearest Starbucks and order your favorite pumpkin spice latte. In addition, it is the season for preparing your air conditioner for the harshest season of the year, the winter.
Today, we will be exploring the couple steps on how to winterize an AC and prevent the crystal-clear water and snow, and other winter debris from clogging it. Let us succumb to the transitional season, autumn, and start preparing our AC for winter.
Why Is There A Need To Winterize An Air Conditioner?
Imagine transitioning to the summer season and experiencing a chilly hot day. Of course, everything will be alright because you have an air conditioner to keep you calm and relaxed. However, what will happen if you find your air conditioner faulty during this time of the year and unable to cool your room down? Indeed, being in this situation is like visiting the depths of hell, considering how hot it is inside your room.
Air conditioners are sensitive machines that become faulty once their owners neglect their duty to practice care for these machines.Although AC is a machine conditioned outdoors, snow and debris brought about by the harsh winter season can still damage it. Thus, there is a need to winterize an air conditioner to sustain it. Additionally, it is an easy task to complete, so why don’t you do it instead of facing the circumstances of paying for a repair?
Steps To Winterize An Air Conditioner
Autumn is the time to keep you wondering how to winterize an air conditioner. You may wonder how hard the steps are or how time-consuming the process is. But do not fret because the steps to winterizing an air conditioner are easy as counting one to five. So, what are the steps to winterize an air conditioner?
Step #1. Shut down the power
When winterizing an air conditioner, your first step is to shut down the power of your ac to avoid any hazard. Usually, you can find the switch of your air conditioner on its outdoor system near its lid.
Step #2. Remove any dust particles on your AC
Your air conditioner has served you throughout the year. Thus, it is common for your ac to accumulate dust particles and filth. Therefore, when preparing your air conditioner for the winter, one of your primary steps is to clean it. But, first, you must remove every inch of dust particle accumulated on your AC.
To do this, damp your rag and gently wipe it all over the cover of your ac. After doing so, pick up any sticks, debris, or other materials like leaves and dead insects that you can find on your AC. Once you have cleaned it, you must wait for you’re the unit to dry. You must also evaluate if there are any small animals on your ac because they are most likely to nibble on the parts of your AC.
Step #3. Put a wrap on your AC
Once your air conditioner has dried after cleaning, your next step is to put a wrap on it. When choosing a wrap, make sure to choose one designed to protect ac systems. It can be plastic or vinyl, but you are also allowed to utilize tarps.
When using tarps, make sure to get the right size for the job so that you will not have any trouble covering the entire structure. Furthermore, in wrapping your ac, make sure that you have securely wrap it. You can use ropes and cords to secure it. If there is none available, you can utilize brick or plywood.
Step #4. Protect the pipes
When winterizing your air conditioner, you must remember to wrap your pipes as well. When the pipes of an air conditioner are not covered, it can lead to freezing or bursting during the winter.
To stop this from happening, you can utilize foam to cover your pipes. First, you must arrange pre-cut foam covers whose structures are similar to an elbow and place these on the edges of the pipes.
When you have wrapped all the edges with foam covers, you must evaluate the rest of the pipes’ length and trim the foam. Make sure that the cover must be able to wrap around the pipe perfectly. Afterward, to prevent the foam from moving, use duct tape.
Step #5. Check your air conditioner from time to time during the winter
When you have finished steps 1 to 4, the last task is to evaluate your air conditioner during the winter. You do not have to do this all day; instead, check it every other week. If you notice snow or debris above your air conditioner’s cover, make sure to clean it. Also, make sure to check on your wrappings and make proper adjustments when necessary.
Wrapping Up!
When it comes to having an air conditioner, you must take care of it, especially during the winter season. Knowing how to winterize an air conditioner, you will prepare your air conditioner for cold and harsh nights. For more interesting articles, click here! See you in the following article.