Save Energy By Prepping Your AC Unit For Summer In Montana

Montana Summers Get HOT

One thing about living in Montana is we get ALL the seasons and our summer season is one of my favorite things about living in the state.  Thing is, it can get hot, like hot hot.  Not that triple digit nightmare that they're going through in other parts of America, but hot enough for it to be concerning if someone doesn't have air conditioning available to them.

Are There Tell-Tale Signs Your Air Conditioner Is About To Die?

Yes, there are a few signs you may want to have your air conditioning unit checked out, or even replaced.

AireServ and Lifehacker give us these tips:

Signs your air conditioner may need repair or replacing:

• It stops blowing cold air or the air isn't AS cold
• It's making loud strange noises
• It's leaking water
• It's turning on and off a lot
• You're getting unusually high energy bills, even accounting for regular AC use

Before You Call A Repair Person, There Are Things You Can Check

• It could be a power supply issue due to the masses running a lot of A/C
• Is it the right unit for the amount of space you're trying to cool?
• Have you changed the filter? This should be done yearly
• Are the coil fins bent or dirty?
• Is something blocking the unit from proper air flow?
• Is the condensate drain blocked?
• Do you have it set on the proper setting?
• Is it broken broken, like the compressor or the refrigerant is leaking?

How Do You Decide To Repair Or Replace An A/C?

• If it's over 8 years old, it's usually cheaper to replace rather than repair because parts becomes an issue
• If the repair cost of a newer unit is more than half the cost of the unit originally