Like your car, your computer, or any other appliance or electronic device you depend on, an air conditioner needs maintenance. If you neglect AC maintenance, your unit may still run, but not as efficiently, and your HVAC system will break down much sooner than a properly maintained central air conditioner.
What AC maintenance tasks are most important?
Change Air Filters: This is the simplest AC maintenance job, and it makes a huge difference in how your air conditioning unit operates. You can buy a three-pack of simple fiberglass, paper, or cloth air filters at any hardware or home store for a nominal fee. Simply replace your filter every 30-90 days, depending upon the manufacturer’s recommendations and your personal usage. Allowing the air filter to become clogged with dirt forces your unit to work extra hard to cool the air and can even lead to your unit freezing up.
Clean the Coils: Residential and commercial condenser coils are usually outside, exposed to the elements. They tend to attract dust and dirt, which can build up in the form of a heavy coating, preventing the heat your air conditioning unit removes from the house from being released efficiently. Homeowners and business owners should hose off their condenser coils every spring, but if the buildup is heavy, get a professional to do the job with special chemicals. Evaporator coils should also be cleaned every few years, but this is not a DIY job.
Check the Blower Motor: Blower motors can become choked with dirt over the years, and this can affect their ability to exchange hot air for cool. A dirty blower motor or one that is failing for another reason such as a broken belt can lead to your unit icing up. Regular inspection and care of your blower motor by a professional HVAC contractor can help prevent these problems.
Clean Drain Lines: If your drain line becomes clogged with algae or dirt, it can cause water to back up and damage your air conditioning unit. Because we use special tools and brushes to unclog drain lines and there is a risk of damage to the unit or even electrical shock, we do not recommend DIY for this task.
Other Maintenance Tasks: The professional HVAC technicians at Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning also perform a number of other tasks when doing routine maintenance on your air conditioner, including checking the refrigerant, wires and electrical connections, thermostat, belts, and pulleys as well as lubricating the moving parts. Annual AC maintenance is included in the Presidential Advantage Maintenance Plan.
Presidential Air Conditioning Service
By relying on Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning to perform yearly AC maintenance on your unit, you can avoid big headaches down the road such as expensive equipment failure and periods of time without air conditioning, which can be uncomfortable in your home and expensive at your place of business. Call our air conditioning company today to set up AC maintenance service.