What Maintenance Does an Air Conditioner Need?
KEEPING YOUR AC AT ITS BEST
With summer fast approaching, are you one of those homeowners that are scrambling to make sure your air conditioner is in working order and ready to go? Do you have any routine air conditioner maintenance during the summer to keep it working the most efficiently?
Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t even check the filter in their air conditioner, much less have an air conditioner maintenance plan. To keep your air conditioner running efficiently all summer, it is important to have monthly air conditioning maintenance frequency. Twice a year, you should have professional air conditioning service and maintenance performed, typically once in the fall and once in the spring. This routine will keep the air conditioning and heat both working properly when you need them.
Is it necessary to service AC every year?
There are many things that require our attention, like paying bills, buying food, putting gas in the car, getting the oil changed, and all those boring but important things. Those are all absolutely necessary things. Is air conditioner maintenance not an absolute necessity?
If your air conditioner is running okay, does that mean it needs monthly air conditioner maintenance? Yes, but what if my AC system is running just fine? Well, we won’t say “absolutely” necessary, if you don’t mind it goes out on the hottest day of the year.
How often should you have your air conditioner serviced?
It is important to have air conditioning maintenance. How often is important too. Maybe more important is the air conditioning maintenance checklist which makes sure they check every aspect of your air conditioner. The following are suggested by professional air conditioning technicians:
- Getting a Head Start: Even though you haven’t used your air conditioner for a few months, you shouldn’t expect it to kick right up and perform at peak efficiency. A professional air conditioner maintenance service before summer arrives will make sure it is ready to go that first hot day.
- Regular Maintenance is Cheaper Than a Repair or Replacement: No, maybe your air conditioner won’t break down because you skip one year’s air conditioner maintenance service, but why risk it? The cost of an air conditioner maintenance service call by a professional to perform a cleaning and tune up is a lot cheaper than if they are called to repair the unit. It is cheaper than a new unit.
- A Voided Warranty: If your air conditioner was in place when you bought the house, it probably isn’t under warranty. If you have purchased a new unit, neglecting basic homeowner maintenance and an annual air conditioner maintenance service call could void your warranty.
- Extended Lifespan: Regular air conditioner maintenance service calls will lead to fewer repairs, extend the air conditioner’s lifespan, and improves efficiency, which helps your utility bills.
- Lower Your Cooling Costs: For each year you skip air conditioner maintenance service, you are shortening the efficiency of your air conditioner by five percent. How? Your air conditioner collects debris and dust on the evaporator coils which are located inside the house. The outside conditioner collects dust, grass, insects, leaves, and whatever blows up and the unit sucks in. With both units, this blocks their airflow, the heat transfer, and your air conditioner is working harder but as much as 15% less efficient, which is costing you more money.
How do I maintain my central air conditioner?
With a few behavioral changes in your household, you can improve the efficiency of your air conditioning system. Like, using the ceiling fan will cool a room as much as four degrees and pulling closing the blinds and pulling the curtains during the hottest part of the day will make less demand on the air conditioner.
These are small steps that will add up, but you won’t notice those savings if your air conditioner isn’t performing at its peak efficiency. This checklist is recommended by professional air conditioning technicians as things you can do yourself in between professional air conditioner maintenance services:
Step 1: Seasonal Checks
As spring blooms, keep the grass, shrubs, and tree branches stay two feet away from the outdoor unit. Each month, change or clean the filters and clean the grills.
Step 2: Raise the Temperature
By raising the thermostat, by one-degree can lower your utilities as much as five percent. Purchase a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one already. The ROI won’t be immediately noticed, but you’ll benefit over the years.
Step 3: Schedule A Professional
Twice a year schedule a licensed professional to perform air conditioner maintenance and full inspection of your air conditioning units. They will do a thorough cleaning, flush tie condenser coils, drain the pan and drainage system, vacuum the blower and check the mechanical parts and the refrigerant.
What does an AC tune up include?
The basic air conditioner maintenance and tune-up will include the following:
- Condenser Coil Cleaning
- Thermostat Calibration
- Check and Recharge Refrigerant
- Check for Leaks
- Grease, Oil, tighten anything needs
- Analyze the blower belt and motor
WHAT HAPPENS IF AC IS NOT SERVICED?
The first thing you need to about not having your air conditioner maintenance a minimum once a year, you can expect the lifespan to be shortened and your utility bills to increase. The components of your air conditioner include the air filter that should be cleaned or changed every thirty days. When the filters are stopped up with the dirt and dust, bacteria will start growing and blowing it back through the vents. The vents blow that bacteria air into your house for everyone to breathe.
An air conditioner is an expensive component that provides your home comfort. By taking care of the unit as we’ve discussed here, this unit should last you for many years. If you neglect the routine air conditioner maintenance and monthly checks yourself, you’ll be replacing it 10 years or sooner than you expect. Call 678-251-9776 today for your air conditioner maintenance in Cumming, GA.
