DIY: Home AC Maintenance Calendar

Woman turning on her air conditioning system for AC maintenance check in the kitchen.

You have a good reason to take care of your HVAC independently every year. The better you treat your home AC and heating unit, the more comfortable your home will be through every season and year after year. A well-maintained HVAC system provides powerful cold in the summer as well as cozy heat in the winter without complaint. So how do you take good care of your home’s AC maintenance?

Like most home maintenance tasks, the best approach is a calendar. We’ve put together a helpful outline of an HVAC maintenance calendar you can work with, followed by an explanation for why each step is important.

The example calendar is most useful for those who live in snowy regions like Yankton, SD where our team is located. 

DIY AC Maintenance Calendar

  • January
    • Change the air filter
    • Clear snow from the outdoor unit
  • February
    • Clear snow from the outdoor unit
  • March
    • Clear snow as well as plant growth from the outdoor unit
  • April
    • Change the air filter
    • Schedule an AC inspection and maintenance
    • Schedule spring-cleaning for HVAC ducts
    • Clear plant growth from the outdoor unit
  • May
    • Clear and clean outdoor unit
  • June
    • Clear and clean the outdoor unit
  • July
    • Change the air filter
    • Clear and clean the outdoor unit
  • August
    • Clear leaves and plants from the outdoor unit
  • September
    • Schedule a heater inspection and maintenance
    • Clear leaves from the outdoor unit
  • October
    • Change the air filter
    • Clear leaves from the outdoor unit
  • November
    • Clear leaves as well as snow from the outdoor unit
  • December
    • Clear snow from the outdoor unit

Monthly AC Maintenance Check

Most good maintenance schedules involve a monthly check-in with the system as well as exposed components. Your monthly check should focus on the outdoor cooling unit which is the most exposed to debris and interference. 

Listen to Your HVAC

Take regular note of the sounds as well as the behavior of your HVAC. Keep an eye out for warning signs like grinding or banging noises, constant cycling, as well as unusually high bills.

Maintain the Outdoor Unit

  • Check for blockage as well as iced lines
  • Clear away leaves and debris
  • Trim back close shrubs

Take good care of your outdoor unit. The vents and fans can be easily obscured by nearby growing plants, sticks, fallen leaves, as well as heavy snow. Throughout the year, keep a close eye on your outdoor unit and clear it of any blockages on a regular basis.

Quarterly Maintenance — Every 3 Months

Change the HVAC Filter

Most air filters need to be changed every three months, so four times a year. This creates your quarterly maintenance schedule to change your air filter. You can find the air filter behind the intake vent inside your house, usually next to or part of the AC unit.

It’s important to change your filter because a clogged filter results in higher power bills as well as lower air quality in your home.

Inspect and Wipe the Condenser Coils

If you’re confident to open the unit with a screwdriver, take a look inside your AC when you change the filter. If there is a lot of dust on the coils, gently wipe it out with a brush or towel to improve your AC’s performance.

Every Spring Before the Heat Wave

Each year you cycle between heating and cooling. When you fire up the AC, you want that cold air to be available immediately. The first heatwave is a bad time to discover your AC is on the fritz, so schedule a spring tune-up and also address any spring cleaning concerns with your HVAC system.

Have Your AC Inspected and Maintained

Call for an inspection as well as maintenance in early spring before your AC becomes necessary for comfort inside the home. Ideally, before the first year wave of the year. Your technician will ensure your AC is in good condition, clean the coils, and replace any worn-out parts before they become a problem.

Duct Spring Cleaning

Your springtime HVAC maintenance is also a good time to schedule a duct cleaning. Remove old dust as well as allergens that have been lodged in your air ducts before powerful blasts of AC blow this extra dust back into your home.

Every Autumn Before the Cold Snap

Just like you want to beat the first heatwave, you also want HVAC maintenance before the first cold snap to ensure your heat is in good condition and ready to go.

Have Your Heater Inspected and Maintained

Call for an inspection as well as maintenance of your HVAC in September or October before your region’s first cold snap and your heater switches on. Your technician will clean the unit and make sure that the heating coils, boiler, or furnace come on safely at full-strength. Any repairs needed will be taken care of before problems can occur and your winter of comfortable home heating will be assured.

Handling your AC the DIY way can keep your HVAC unit in excellent condition all year long, and many years into the future. If your attentive care reveals a serious maintenance concern or if you’re ready for an HVAC inspection as well as a maintenance tune-up, contact us today! Larry’s Heating and Cooling is a locally owned and operated family business, and we’re eager to help local residents stay safely comfortable with the HVAC services you need.

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