If your air conditioning system struggles to cool your home every year, clean and level the concrete base that supports the outdoor unit. Grass, weeds and other obstructions can be big problems if they grow around the unit and keep the condenser coil inside it from rejecting heat out of the system. An unlevel base may also cause problems for the parts inside the unit by corroding and rusting them. If you don't clean and level the base, you may need to make repairs on the compressor and condensing coil later. Here are things to know about the concrete slab and how you can get it ready for the summer.
What Is the Purpose of the Concrete Base?
The concrete base, or slab, serves several purposes:
If any of the things listed above are compromised in any way, your air conditioning system may not perform as well as it should. Cleaning the around the unit and leveling the slab are two ways to ensure that your AC does well this summer.
How Do You Clean and Level the Concrete Base?
The first thing you might do is use a hand trowel to manually remove the grass and weeds from around the base of the unit instead of using a weed eater. The blades of a weed eater might strike the condenser coil and bend its fins. Fins allow air and heat to move through the coil during operation, so protecting them is essential.
Next, examine the soil around slab for holes and missing areas. If you find these issues, you can secure them with fill dirt purchased from your local home and gardening store. These types of soil are often used to build up flat terrains or land, so they may work well for your project. It's a good idea that you use a hand trowel with a triangular-shaped head to complete this step. The tool will allow you to push the dirt beneath the slab. You can use the trowel to smooth and pack the dirt along the sides of the slab.
After you complete the steps above, monitor your cooling system to see if it improves. If the system still performs bad after a day or so, contact an air conditioning repair company like Cape Fear Air Conditioning & Heating Co., Inc. for additional help.
Share20 May 2016
Last summer, I began to get extremely hot in my home. My air conditioning system couldn’t adequately keep my home cool anymore. Therefore, I contacted an experienced HVAC contractor. This individual visited my home and thoroughly inspected my unit. If your air conditioner isn’t working like it once did, your air ducts may be clogged up. Thankfully, an expert HVAC contractor can determine if faulty air ducts are the cause of the hot temperatures inside your home. On this blog, you will discover how an HVAC contractor can properly inspect your air ducts. Stay cool and comfortable during the hot summer months!