What to Do Before You Have a New Ducted Air Conditioning System Installed

Before you have a new ducted air conditioning system installed in your home, you might want to ensure your home is ready for the new system and that the air conditioner will be protected once it's hooked up. A few simple steps will ensure the new system works optimally and may even save you money on your utility bills during the summer. Note the following suggestions, and discuss these with your installer as needed.

Have the ductwork cleaned

You may not give much thought to your home's ductwork and how clean it is, but dust and other debris settle into these ducts very easily. Pet hair and dander, human hair and shed skin cells, common household dust, dead insects, and even rodent droppings can collect in the ducts of your home. In turn, this debris gets blown into your home every time you turn on the air conditioner.

Additionally, the air conditioner needs to work harder the dirtier your home's ducts, as all that debris slows down the flow of air. It also makes the air warmer, so your air conditioner runs longer to reach your desired temperature. To keep your home clean and keep your new system protected, have the ducts vacuumed out by a professional before your new unit arrives.

Have your home's electrical wiring checked

Your new air conditioner may demand more power than what your home's current wiring can easily handle. Note that even an "energy efficient" air conditioner doesn't necessarily use less electricity; this simply means that more of that electricity is used to generate cool air, versus running other parts of the system.

If your home has older wiring, your new air conditioner may overload the circuit and you'll have more brownouts and slowdowns. Not only is this inconvenient and bothersome, but it also means more wear and tear on the air conditioner's parts as they struggle to work. To protect the system, have the volts and amps of your home's wiring checked against the needs of your selected air conditioner and upgrade the wiring as needed.

Have the home's dehumidifier cleaned

Air conditioners work to cool the home and remove humidity, so if the dehumidifier in your home's furnace is dirty or outdated, the air conditioner will work harder overall. The dehumidifier may be holding calcium deposits and other debris along its filter, so have this cleaned to ensure it can remove as much humidity as possible and keep the air conditioner running efficiently.