The Ultimate Guide To A/C Maintenance

Air conditioning systems play a crucial part in keeping homes cool and comfortable throughout the seasons. A/C units work hard day in and day out to keep the temperature in your home at a stable level. However, in doing so, air conditioner systems experience wear and tear that may affect their overall efficiency and operations. Just as a car needs regular maintenance to run smoothly, A/C units also require regular care. It is important to proactively take care of your A/C systems to extend its service lifespan and avoid dealing with costly repairs down the road. Fortunately, A/C maintenance is not as hard as some people might think. Below are several pointers to keep in mind:

Why Do You Need Annual A/C Maintenance?

Proper A/C maintenance ensures that all of your heating and cooling equipment are safe to operate. Because air conditioners consume a lot of power, unchecked electrical faults can cause fire hazards or electrocution. If you have a furnace in your home, it also needs to be inspected for potential structural integrity issues that may negatively affect your indoor air quality. Furnaces and air conditioners are interdependent on each other, so if one system fails, other cooling or heating can systems fail in a cascade effect. That’s why it is important to take care of all the systems at regular intervals.

In addition to preventing breakdowns, regular A/C maintenance helps homeowners save money on utility bills. Well-maintained air conditioning systems keep houses at a specified temperature without consuming too much energy.

Do-It-Yourself A/C Maintenance Tips

Evaporator coils accumulate dirt over time, and this affects the rate at which the A/C system cools or heats your house.

• Step One: Use a soft brush to get dust and debris out of the way. Next, spray the evaporator coil with a no-rinse coil cleaner to get rid of deposits and other gunk to improve the component’s efficiency.
• Step Two: The buildup of algae and mold can clog the evaporator drain and cause flooding issues. In addition, clogging can cause a bad odor to linger in your home. Locate the evaporator drainpipe and get rid of debris with a dry or wet vacuum cleaner.
• Step Three: If you live in a dusty environment, you should replace the blower filter at least twice annually. Ideally, you should do it before the heating season starts and also right before the cooling season.

Don’t forget to clean your condenser and compressor that are typically installed outside the home. It is recommended to run a regular A/C service schedule to keep these components in top condition.

• Step One: Temporarily cut the power to the A/C unit before you clean it. For most A/C systems, owners just need to remove the block or breaker or move the switch to the off position.
• Step Two: Use a rough paint brush or vacuum cleaner to remove debris around the unit.
• Step Three: Clean and reshape (straighten) your A/C condenser fins. If your fan motor does not use sealed bearings, remember to check the fans’ lubrication.

When Do You Need to Call A/C Maintenance Experts?

Realistically speaking, there are some A/C maintenance tasks that require the assistance of professionals. For example, A/C compressor short cycling, checking electrical faults, calibration procedures should be handled by an experienced A/C service technician. If your air conditioning system needs more than regular maintenance, do not hesitate to contact Abraham AC & Heating Services, Inc. for professional A/C repair solutions.