Protect Your Air Conditioner From Cold Weather -- Tips For Winter Shutdown

The temperature is starting to drop in northwest Arkansas, which means it’s time for you to get your air conditioner ready for winter. Winterizing your cooling equipment can not only help lengthen its life, it can also help improve efficiency for next year.

Use the following tips to help you prepare for winter shutdown:

• Remove window air conditioner units: Heated air can escape through gaps in windows with portable air conditioning units. Remove them at the end of the cooling season and install weatherstripping around windows if necessary. If you can’t remove them, seal the gaps and cover the units to protect them from the harsh winter weather.
• Drain water hoses: If your air conditioning system has a valve to shut off the water, close it after draining all of the pipes and hoses.
• Clear the area: As you are doing fall yard clean-up, make sure you rake away leaves that may have collected around the base of the outdoor unit. You can also clean the fins and coil with your garden hose.
• Cover the outdoor unit: Using a weatherproof cover to protect the outdoor compressor unit will help keep snow and ice out of your equipment, reducing rust and wear.
• Get a new air conditioner: Although you may not need it until next year, now is a great time to install a new air conditioning system. Not only can you take advantage of seasonal specials, you can get significant tax rebates from the federal government when you install a new, high-efficiency air conditioner. To be eligible, the equipment must be purchased and installed before the end of 2011 — so act fast and don’t miss out on these big savings.

For more energy-saving tips and tricks, contact the professionals at Paschal, Heat, Air & Geothermal. Remember, winterizing your air conditioner is not the only fall maintenance task you need to do; schedule your preventive maintenance appointment now to ensure that your heating system is ready for winter. Contact us today to make an an appointment or just to get some expert HVAC advice.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about winter tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Paschal Heating, Air & Geothermal services Northwest Arkansas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!      

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