Its spring and it’s time to do the little maintenance items that will extend the life of your air conditioner. Industry standards suggest regular maintenance for your air conditioning system to prevent future problems and unwanted expenditures. There are a few things you can do yourself to keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance, such as replacing the air filter on a regular basis and not letting it clog the system. The most important thing is to have a highly qualified air conditioning contractor, such as Efficient Home Solutions, to perform annual pre-season check-ups. Typically, contractors become busy once summer and winter arrives, so it’s essential to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. One suggestion is to associate your air conditioning and heating checkups with the biannual time change. Spring Forward and Fall Back!
What does the typical air conditioning system maintenance check-up involve?
- The checking of thermostat settings to verify the cooling and heating system maintains the desired setting for comfort when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
- Check and tighten all electrical connections. Measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can result in unsafe system operation resulting in the reduction of life of major components.
- The lubrication of all moving parts. Friction in motor and other moving parts increases the electricity use of the system.
- Thorough inspection of the condensate drain in your central air conditioner. A plugged drain can result in water damage in the house and negatively affect indoor humidity levels.
- Ensure proper and safe operation of system controls by evaluating the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off correctly.
Air Conditioning Specific Points
Evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils need to be cleaned regularly. Dirty coils have been found to reduce the ac system’s ability to cool the home and resulting in longer run times thus increasing energy costs and reduction of the system life.
Verify refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Improper refrigerant levels will make the system less efficiently.
Adjust blower components and clean as necessary to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Surprisingly, airflow issues can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.
Actions for the Do-It-Yourselfers
As mentioned earlier, there are a few things you can do specifically to maintain your system between inspections. Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner. This is usually simple and if you’re not sure how, your contractor can demonstrate. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.
Contact Efficient Home Solutions today to schedule your biannual system maintenance checkups. (972)235-2600.
