Should You Winterize Your A/C Unit?

August 22, 2023

We want to take a moment to explain why it’s important to winterize your A/C unit. Even though you don’t use it in the winter, it’s important to protect it against the elements and prevent problems from occurring during the off-season. Here are some concrete reasons to winterize some of your HVAC components.

Why You Should Winterize Your A/C Unit

Part of our air conditioner repair service includes winterization work (upon request) because the cold months can inflict significant damage to your A/C equipment. Your goal is to protect the HVAC unit from succumbing to snow and ice.

The best way to do this is to pick a sunny day in the fall, after you’re finished using it for the hot season, and follow the manufacturer’s suggestions. This is not something you should do in the rain or when it’s already freezing outside.

Another factor related to winterization is the potential for animals and pests to make their way into the A/C unit, trying to escape the cold. You’ll want to clean and cover it to avoid this problem.

Steps for Winterizing Your Air Condition

1. Shut off the power to your air conditioner. One reason you have to do this is that it’s possible to have an unseasonably warm day in December that makes it resume operating again.
2. Clean the A/C unit. Just like your air filters and vents, it’s possible for the unit to collect dust and debris along with other outdoor nuisances like pests. This is a good time to make sure none of the wires or electrical components have been damaged.
3. Cover the A/C unit. You can use a waterproof cover or tarp to protect it from freezing rain, snow, and other damage. Consider tying it down with bungee cords in case we have a wind storm.
4. Insulate all pipes. Cover pipes with foam covers to prevent them from freezing and breaking. You can secure them with duct tape. Plus, it’s safe to leave these on all year long.

Other Homeowner Winter Tips

Air conditioning isn’t the only thing you should take care of this fall and winter. We have many other helpful homeowner winter tips that will keep your home (and family) safe when it becomes frigid in Kansas City.

• Anticipate a less-than-perfect thermostat reading. Why is that? Because even the best thermostats are bound to have difficulty maintaining pace with the severe cold when harsh weather arrives. For example, if you intend to keep your house at 67 degrees, you might set it at 72 when it’s cold. Most thermostats lag by about five degrees during extreme temperatures.
• The same will probably be true of your water temperature. In the winter, it’s common to run out of warm water quicker. Water heaters have a hard time keeping up when we get below 20 degrees, but you can slightly offset these problems with insulated pipes.
• Since winter utilities place a heavy burden on circuit breakers, you can also expect to experience minor light flickering. If this continues for a long time, you may need to call for electrical repair, but intermittent flickering is common during the cold months.

Let Hamilton Help Winterize Your A/C Unit

If you run into any trouble trying to winterize or perform other upkeep on HVAC equipment, then call Hamilton for guidance. It’s not a terribly arduous task, but if you aren’t sure what to do with your particular hardware, it never hurts to ask a professional.

We serve clients all throughout the KC metro area with reliable HVAC repair, plumbing, and electrical work. Our business has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as well as plenty of endorsements from trade organizations and previous clients. BloggerLocal rates us as one of the top plumbing companies in Kansas City.

If you need someone to help you winterize your A/C unit, then contact the experts at Hamilton Plumbing Heating A/C Rooter for prompt assistance today or call us at (913) 227-4943 for assistance