AIR CONDITIONING SEASON 101 Each year on the first truly hot day of summer, Genz-Ryan receives a rush of calls for service from people reporting their air conditioners don't appear to be working. Early detection is the key. Here's what you can do: As soon as the warm weather arrives in the spring — over seventy degrees — turn on your A/C to be sure it’s functioning. If you have a problem, you want to take care of it right away. Early detection allows more flexibility in scheduling a service call, should one be necessary. You could save yourself an extensive wait. EASY DOES THE A/C Air conditioning can be sanity on those short but brutal, humid days of Minnesota summer. Here's some simple advice to keep your A/C unit running smoothly and get the most for your energy dollars. Keep it clean. For maximum efficiency, insure free airflow around the A/C condenser. Avoid placing bushes and decks too close and trim grass and shrubs away from the unit. Once a month, hose the sides and fins so it’s free of debris. Leave it running. Leave the unit running at 84 degrees while the family is absent during the day, and have a set back thermostat begin to reduce the temp to 78 degrees an hour or so before the first person returns home. This will prevent excess humidity from building up in the house, and is more efficient than turning the unit on and off. Cover it up. Given the harshness of a Minnesota winter, covering the unit during the cold months is advisable. Some hardware stores sell A/C covers or a tarp may be used. CPR FOR YOUR AIR CONDITIONER If your A/C unit seems to be dead, don’t be too hasty in calling an ambulance. Before you call Genz-Ryan, check these few common problems that can be easily remedied. Make sure it’s got power. Check the breaker box, which may be in the house or garage or near the unit itself. Also check the A/C disconnect which is located near the unit on the exterior of the house. Is the thermostat set to cool? Often a single thermostat controls both the furnace and the A/C. If the control is set to heating, lowering the temp on the thermostat will not turn on the A/C. Check to see if it’s frozen up. Turn off the unit and wait several hours for it to unfreeze. Restart the unit. If it still freezes, try replacing the filter. If that doesn’t work, call Genz-Ryan. If the unit stops running after it’s operated for a period of time, check the thermostat and make sure it’s not programmed to turn off after a certain time period.