Ottawa Heat Pumps, Furnaces, Air Conditioners

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Spring Maintenance Checklist

Keep your cool with simple A/C maintenance

  • Clear leaves, brush and dirt from inside your air conditioner’s top grille.
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  • Trim nearby shrubs and bushes to allow at least two feet of clearance around the unit.
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  • Set the thermostat to cooling mode and run your air conditioner a few minutes to make sure it’s working.
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  • Schedule an annual checkup of your air conditioning system.
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  • Replace your air conditioner filter once a month. Dirty filters restrict air flow and can waste energy.
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  • If you use a room air conditioner, install it on a north-facing wall to keep it out of the sun.
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  • If it’s time to replace your air conditioner, look for an ENERGY STAR® qualified model to help reduce cooling costs up to 20 percent.
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Don’t let April showers bring May mildew

  • Clear leaves, pine needles and other debris from gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage. Check that they’re stable to   avoid flying debris during storms.
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  • Be sure downspouts slope away from your house. They should carry water at least 5′ from foundation walls.
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  • Position lawn sprinklers so they don’t spray your home’s walls.
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  • Examine window and door seals and weather-stripping. Reseal if needed.
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  • Move furniture a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.
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  • Check windows for condensation and walls for water stains, which are signs of too much humidity.
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  • Keep your home’s relative humidity between 30 – 50%. A humidity control system such as Humiditrol® can safely control humidity.
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Take control of home energy costs

  • Reduce air leaks in your home by caulking, sealing and weather-stripping around doors and windows.
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  • Use exhaust fans to reduce moisture in the kitchen or bath, but turn them off when they’re no longer needed.
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  • Make sure your refrigerator’s seals are airtight. Test by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar out easily, the seal may need to be adjusted.
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  • Wash only full loads in your dishwasher and clothes washer.
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  • Turn off lights you don’t need to save energy and reduce extra heat in your home.
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  • If it’s time to replace your air conditioner, choose an energy-efficient model with two-stage cooling, such as the XC-14 from Lennox.   Two levels of operation allow you to rely on the low setting most of the time.
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  • Prepare dinner on your outdoor grill to help reduce your air conditioner’s load.
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  • Check ducts for air leaks, including holes or separated sections.
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