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5 Crucial Air Conditioning Maintenance Tasks
5 Crucial Air Conditioning Maintenance Tasks
AC maintenance is extremely important to ensure that your air conditioning unit works efficiently when you need it most.
There are a lot of things can go awry with your AC unit. Here are some common issues:
- Clogged Drains/Filters/Ducts
- Refrigerant Leaks
- Sensor Problems
- Thermostat Problems
- Dirty Filters
- Compressor Stops Working
- Fan Stops Blowing
You can handle some of these AC maintenance issues yourself if you’re a DIY type or you can procure the services of an experienced professional so that your AC works properly and keeps your home nice and cool in the hot summer months.
5 Important AC Maintenance Steps
Air Filter Inspection
Air filters are easy to replace, so regularly checking them and replacing them if they’re dirty is a task most of us can handle. While most filters are replaceable, some filters can be cleaned as opposed to replaced. It’s important to replace them or clean them at least every 3-4 months.Condensate Drain Inspection
Clogged drain routes should be inspected on a regular basis. If clogged, they will prevent your AC unit from reducing the humidity in your home. To do this, a stiff wire is needed. Simply run it through your AC system’s drain channels to ensure they aren’t clogged anywhere along the way.
Monitor Your Outdoor AC Unit
Dust and various forms of debris outside your home can damage or dirty the condenser coils on your AC unit. You can easily inspect the condenser coils and make sure that dust and dirt are not collecting on the fins. If you do notice they’re dirty, simply clean them to ensure efficiency from your AC system.
Look at Your Thermostat
Programmable thermostats allow you to set the AC at a temperature of your choosing. This will save money as your energy costs are under control. In addition to setting the temperature, many thermostats have a mechanism that alerts you to any issues with the unit, so it’s important to make sure that it’s working properly.
Vent Inspection
AC units are typically connected to a duct system that runs throughout the entire house. It’s important to take a look at the vents to make sure they don’t have anything obstructing them. Often, people forget about the vents and move furniture over them or have clothes laying on the floor that obstruct the air flow. With unobstructed vents throughout your home, that nice, cold air that cools your home is distributed throughout.
The parts that are the usual culprits responsible for AC system malfunctions:
- Capacitors and Circuit Boards
- Internal Fuses and/or Breakers
- Condensate Pumps and/or Motors
- Fans
Why, you ask, is AC maintenance necessary?
The majority of repairs completed by an experienced HVAC company for your AC unit will cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. If you have to replace the entire unit, it will cost even more. The less costly route is to have an AC preventative maintenance service plan. In most cases, having regular maintenance will find any issues early. In addition, your monthly energy bills will be reduced as your AC unit’s overall efficiency is greatly improved with AC preventative maintenance.
AC maintenance services typically completed by HVAC companies
In addition to your own DIY home AC maintenance, you can contract with an experienced commercial company that provides cooling and heating services as part of a high-quality AC maintenance program. A good HVAC company will inspect the duct work to make sure that air isn’t being lost, inspect, check and calibrate the thermostat, and look at the electrical connections as well as the condensate drain line. Many AC preventative maintenance programs also include refrigerant level checks, evaporator cleaning, and cleaning the condenser coils.
If your AC system stops working properly, what should you do?
AC unit issues or problems can cause quite a problem if they occur when it’s hot and steamy outside. Doing the research to find a qualified company to quickly handle any AC issue is time consuming and risky, because you never know what you’ll find on an internet search. But don’t despair, help is here!
A repair plan from HomeServe of Brooklyn/Queens provides access to a 24/7 hotline to schedule any repair if you are experiencing problems with your AC system. HomeServe USA provides reliable heating and cooling experts that service all of the areas within Brooklyn and Queens NY. With expert technicians on call, you can count on HomeServe for emergency repairs to your AC unit as well as tune-ups and new equipment installations. HomeServe also provides many different types of service plans for year-round protection from the high cost of repairs to your AC unit.
If you’re not sure which HomeServe USA repair plan works best for you, our repair hotline specialists are available 24/7 to help you decide what plan makes the most sense. Simply call us anytime at 1-855-336-2465 – we’re here to help.