Check your AC before the heat wave hits

EVANSVILLE, Wis. – With a heat wave on the way, now is the time for Wisconsinites to check their air conditioning to make sure it’s working properly.

Connie Arndt owns R.A. Heating in Evansville, Wis. Connie Arndt said summer air conditioning season is just as busy as winter heating season, but there tends to be added urgency in the warmer months.

“I have a saying that when people are hot, they’re hot,” Connie Arndt said.

Connie Arndt said she does her best to be prepared for the summer by estimating how many parts customers will need for the season, so the company will have it all in stock.

She said one of the easiest things people can do to prepare HVAC for high temperatures is to make sure furnace filters are clean.

“Go down to your furnace, take the filter out and make sure that it’s not plugged,” Connie Arndt said. “Make sure that it’s a nice clean filter."

Connie Arndt said if the filter is clogged, it will make the air conditioner work overtime.

Of course, the outdoor unit should be clean, too.

“Look at your actual condenser to make sure that the fins are not plugged,” she said. “If this is all plugged with debris, either call your service tech to get it cleaned, or take a good hose to it and try to clean it if you can’t afford to have a tech come out.”

Plus, she said to use your senses. Air conditioning units should make a standard, constant hum when they’re working. Any knocking, aggressive sounds likely mean something is wrong.

One of the techs is her son Ryan Arndt. He said capacitors are the most common things he replaces in the summertime. He also replaces lots of contactors. Ryan Arndt said all it takes is a small bug to get in the contactor to stop a unit from working.

Xcel Energy offered these tips to help people find relief from the heat, and from rising air conditioning costs: