Another Labor Day has come and gone, meaning fall is not far behind it. Before you bust out the footballs, leaf blowers and sweatshirts, make sure you take an afternoon to shut down your air conditioner for the winter! Shutting down your central air conditioner for the winter isn’t too complicated, but it’s extremely important if you want your air conditioner to last through the cold weather!

Before you start to winterize your air conditioner, make sure you turn it off at the air conditioner disconnect switch. This is pretty easy to do – find the circuit outside, open the lid and hit the switch, then close the switch. Shutting down the air conditioner accomplishes a number of different things – first, it prevents damage to your air conditioner and protects you from possible electrocution. It also prevents your air conditioner from turning on accidentally during the winter, which could potentially cause water to get into the unit and freezing.

Take some time to hose it off to get any dirt and dust off of it. If there are any leaves, twigs or branches stuck to the compressor, pull them out and get rid of them – you don’t want your compressor to be dirty before you put the cover on.

Once the whole thing is clean, let it sit a few hours to dry off completely. Make sure there’s no water left on the compressor that could cause it to rust.

After your air conditioner is totally clean and dry, place a waterproof plastic cover or tarp over the compressor and secure it with bungee cords so it doesn’t blow away. Make sure you cover it completely – any dirt or debris that gets into the compressor can lead to damages later on down the road.

Once you’ve done all that, your air conditioner should be good to go until spring! Make sure you check out your AC every now and then during the winter and brush off any snow and ice that builds up – extra weight can potentially lead to damage.

Winterizing your air conditioner is pretty simple and can save you from spending tons of money on air conditioner repair in Maryland this spring! And if you want to have an AC inspection before you put your unit away for the winter, call Michael Bonsby HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical today!