It’s Springtime, and along with the new season comes plenty of to-dos around the house. A particular springtime to-do that you may not think of, because it’s actually preparation for the hot summer months, is checking to see that your air conditioner is working properly. You wouldn’t want to kick on your air on the first hot summer day only to discover that you’re without cool air. While this is unlikely, it’s always important to stay on top of routine home upkeep.

The steps and paired video below will walk you through a very simple process for testing your air conditioner at home to be sure you and your family stay cool when the temperatures start to climb.

First, keep in mind that this test is best performed when the outside temperature reaches 70 degrees, otherwise, you may not get an accurate reading.

Then, you’re going to want to set the thermostat to cool, and turn the fan switch to “on”. The fan should run at this point- if not, this indicates you should call for service.

Now, you need to set the thermostat about 5 degrees below your home’s present temperature. The furnace blower and the outside unit should kick on. If they don’t check the circuit breaker or the disconnect next to the outside unit. If the unit still won’t turn on, it’s an indicator that you should call for service.

The final step of this test is to go to one of your vents about 5 minutes after running the system. Pass your hand over the vents, the air should be cool and flowing by now.

And that’s it! You’ll be in great shape when the heat waves come your way! We hope this helps- and be sure to check out our other Handy Homeowner tips and info.