Should I Turn Off My A/C Unit During the Winter?

As the winter weather approaches, it's time to get your home ready. One task that needs to be added to your maintenance list is to button up your air conditioning unit for the colder weather. If you're like most new homeowners, you're likely wondering if you should turn off your A/C unit or not.

Why Should You Turn Your A/C Unit Off?

At first thought, you may think that you don't need to manually kill the power to your outdoor air conditioning unit because you may feel that it won't get cold enough to kick on. The reality is that your unit can kick on when those usually hot winter days come through.

Unless you manually turn your A/C unit off, it will naturally kick on. As it works, it will draw humidity out of the air and cause moisture to lay on the exterior A/C components. As soon as the weather dips down, that moisture will freeze. This can create damage to your outdoor A/C unit. For this reason, it's best to simply shut it off entirely before the start of winter.

Winter A/C Maintenance Tips

Apart from manually shutting off your air conditioning unit, it's a good idea to perform some other maintenance tasks. Your first priority should be to fix any known problems with your system. Whether it's a squealing fan belt that's on its last leg or a weird smell coming from your unit, now is time to get it fixed.

Next, you'll want to thoroughly clean the entire outdoor unit. Avoid using a pressure washer as it could damage the sensitive fins. Instead, opt for using a garden house with moderate pressure. If you notice any bent-over fins, now is the time to bend them back into place. You can utilize a fin comb you can get at your local hardware store. Or, you can opt for using a small pair of pliers to bend those fins back into their original position.

To Cover or Not To Cover?

A big debate regarding outdoor air conditioning units is whether you should cover them or not. Experts recommend covering the top of your air conditioning unit. This is simply to save you the trouble of picking falling debris out of the unit over the fall and winter months. It would be best if you never covered the sides of the exterior air conditioning unit. That could trap unwanted moisture that could lead to corrosion of your internal system components.

Contact Us Today

If you need help getting your air conditioning unit ready for winter, be sure to contact us at Romano Bros. Heating and Air today. Let our knowledgeable HVAC professionals assist you with all of your heating and cooling system needs.