Monsoon season is upon us in Arizona.

Weather officials deem the period between June 15 and September 30 as monsoon season, the time when the hottest weather along with intense rain and wind storms prevails in Arizona.

One thing is for sure during monsoon season: you need a functioning AC unit to survive the unbearable heat.

You can conduct basic pre-monsoon AC preparation yourself to prevent untimely breakdowns during this uncomfortable weather.

By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you will know exactly what you need to do to your AC for proper storm preparation.

Open Your Vents

Begin your monsoon preparation by opening all the vents in your home.

You may be attempting to cool only portions of your home by closing the vents of rooms that you don’t use.

However, this can cause damage to your AC unit during the monsoon season.

Supply vents push cold air into your home.

When you close these vents, your AC will take in more hot air than it can push out. As a result, humid air will enter your home and have no way out.

In short, your indoor humidity will go up, and your house will feel sticky.

Turn Thermostat to Auto

Keep your thermostat settings on auto and not just on.

This will ensure that your unit adequately dehumidifies the air in your home.

An AC will absorb humidity.

When your AC is on auto, the refrigerant fills the coils, and condensation builds up on the coils.

The moisture then drips off and drains into a drain line which redirects the moisture outside.

Your end product is perfectly chilled dehumidified air.

When you set your AC to on and not auto, the fan will run constantly even when the AC isn’t cooling and dehumidifying your air.

Your indoor humidity will go up, and again, you will have sticky air inside your home.

When you set your AC to auto, the fan will only run when the AC unit is cooling your air.

Thus you’ll have that perfect air whenever the fan runs.

Clean Up Outside

Preparing your AC unit for storms means preparing the environment of your outdoor unit.

Clip the shrubs around your unit and give it plenty of air to breathe.

When monsoons come, they bring wind.

They will break branches and blow dirt, leaves, and debris against your unit.

Make a point of keeping your unit cleared of debris. Check it daily to make sure it is cleaned.

Keep shrubs trimmed to within three feet of your unit.

Then get rid of any objects that are within three feet of the unit.

If your unit is in an enclosed area, take off decorative lids and give it maximum air exposure.

This exposure will give the AC unit a chance to dump the heat and moisture outside and to cool and dehumidify your home thoroughly.

Check Air Filters Regularly

Every two weeks you should check your air filters.

Monsoons will bring a copious amount of dust into the area.

If your air filter is doing its job, it will catch the dust before it filters into your home.

The monsoon season will fill your filter with dust more quickly than in the normal season.

When your filter is clogged, the AC unit cannot pull as much heat or moisture from your house.

The unit will have to work harder and longer to compensate for your filthy filter.

As a result, your AC unit parts will break down more quickly.

Additionally, your indoor air quality will go down.

At some point, your filter won’t be able to catch all the dust and contaminants.

Thus your indoor air quality will deteriorate, and you’ll find yourself with indoor air quality sickness.

Schedule Maintenance Visits

You can certainly do all of these tasks on your own.

But the best way to prepare your AC unit for monsoon season is to call in an air conditioning professional for a maintenance call.

The service technician will inspect your unit and give you peace of mind before the monsoon season begins.

The technician will clean, replace, and repair faulty or near faulty parts.

Such repairs and maintenance will prevent your entire system from failing during the hottest parts of the monsoon season.

The technician will work both inside and outside your home.

They will clean the outdoor unit’s coils so they can effectively collect heat and then dump it outside.

This type of cleaning will allow your AC to run efficiently for a long time.

Furthermore, the technician will know how to handle your AC unit’s most delicate parts.

If an unskilled homeowner attempts to clean coils, they may damage them and end up calling a repair technician anyway.

Ultimately, you can best protect AC from storms by having skilled technicians conduct regular maintenance tasks.

Call for Pre-Monsoon AC Preparation

You don’t have to lie awake at night during monsoon season wondering if your AC will continue to keep your home cool.

As you hear the wind blow and see the impending storms brewing, you can rest easy knowing that you’ve adequately prepared your AC for this tumultuous time.

Basic pre-monsoon AC preparation consists of changing your filter every two weeks, keeping your outside unit free of debris, and opening all your vents in your home.

Then schedule an AC maintenance call so a professional can check all of your AC unit parts and ensure they’re working properly.

Are you looking for an AC service technician to make a maintenance call for you?

If so, contact us and check out our specials and deals on AC maintenance services, repair, and installation.

Our Scottsdale AC technicians are ready to help you whether you have a problem with your AC or just need someone to make sure it lasts through the monsoon season.

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Are you worried that your AC unit won’t survive monsoon season? We can help you avoid monsoon surprises! The team at Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling has been serving the valley for over 75 years! Call 480-945-7200 or request service online! …*Yes, We DO offer Financing Options.

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