Why Maintain Your Air Conditioning System?

Most people do not think much about their home’s heating and cooling system, especially when it’s working.  I guess it is because it is not as pretty as a new big screen plasma TV or the new stainless steel refrigerator with the built in grocery list maker.  However, your home’s comfort system is one of the most expensive and most important appliance you will ever purchase.  A home’s central air conditioning system has a direct impact on property value, monthly utility expenses, the environment, and not to mention the overall comfort and indoor air quality of your most favorite place…your home.

On average, your home’s heating and cooling system runs about 3300 hours per year.  To put this into perspective, if a car was driven for the same 3300 hours at 65 MPH, it would travel 214,500 miles.  We all know that you would never consider driving this many miles with no oil change, routine tune-up, or without changing the tires!  We perform oil changes and tune-ups on our vehicles to extend the life of our investment and ensure the safety and reliability of the vehicle.  The same idea holds true for your air conditioning system.  Your home comfort system serves you more hours than your car, and like your car, it needs proper care to extend the life of the equipment and operate at its maximum efficiency.

For each year of operation without routine maintenance, an air conditioner will lose about 5% of it’s original efficiency.  This means that a 13 SEER system that was purchased just a few years ago may be functioning like a 9 or 10 SEER system today. It is proven that regular tune-ups will not only allow for a unit to maintain up to 95% of it’s original efficiency but they will usually pay for themselves in one season of energy savings.

A typical tune-up should include the following:

• Disinfect and deodorize unit
• Clean and inspect relays and contactors
• Clean heat exchanger or elements
• Clean and adjust heat pump
• Monitor refrigerant pressures
• Test starting capabilities
• Test safety controls
• Clean or replace air filters
• Clean and adjust blower components
• Measure for correct air flow
• Measure temperature difference
• Tighten all electrical connections
• Measure volts/amps
• Lubricate all moving parts
• Adjust thermostat calibration
• Clean evaporator coil if accessible
• Clean outside condenser coil
• Clean condensate drains
• Apply a protective coating to the outside condenser

Repair or Replace Your Air Conditioning System

How do you know when you should repair or replace your central air conditioning system? It is a common question in any home when household appliances begin to show their age.  Should you repair or replace them?  The average life expectancy of a central heating and air conditioning system depends considerably on where the system is located and if the system has had proper maintenance.

Generally speaking, if your air conditioning system is still under manufacturer warranty and is less than 5 years old, it is more economical to repair the system.  However; if your system is not covered under the manufacturer parts warranty and you are beginning to experience multiple costly breakdowns, there will be a couple of things for you to consider before jumping the gun on a costly repair.  Below are a couple of questions to ask yourself when faced with a decision to repair or replace:

1. Has your system had proper maintenance performed semi-annually? - It is a well proven and documented fact that proper maintenance prolongs the life of the equipment, results in fewer emergency repairs, keeps the equipment cleaner, and increases cooling and heating efficiency.
2. Do you live near the ocean? - Systems that are located on or near the ocean tend to have more break downs and a shorter average life span due to high salt content.
3. What is the age of the system? - The average life span of air conditioning and heating equipment is 8-12 years.  At this point, replacement parts can be more difficult to find and are not covered under the manufacturer warranty resulting in higher repair costs.
4. What is the operating SEER rating on the system? - As a system ages, it loses operating efficiency and new technology has enabled the creation of air conditioning systems that use far less energy than older models.  By upgrading to a higher efficiency unit, the amount of money that can be saved on costly repairs, monthly heating and cooling expenses, and available tax credits will pay for the investment in a short period of time.  More on SEER Ratings here.
5. Is the system noisy? - Noisy equipment may indicate an inefficient heating and cooling system.
6. Do you notice excessive dust or areas of your home that are more warm or cool than others? - Excessive dust and hot spots can be easily corrected and are indicators of an inefficient system.  Higher efficiency systems with variable speed motors can help eliminate the inconvenience of having rooms that are more warm or cool than other areas of your home.
7. Does you system run constantly or cycle on and off frequently? - If your system is having a difficult time cooling or heating your home to your desired temperature and is using an excessive amount of energy, it could be time to consider the savings and increased comfort of a new system.

As a general rule of thumb, continuing to repair is recommend if your system is under 10 years old, performing to your expectations, has been properly maintained, on/off cycling is not excessive, and only minor repairs are needed.  On the contrary, if your system is over 10 years old, has had repeat problems, excessive on/off cycling, is not performing to your expectations, and costly repairs are needed, I would strongly consider upgrading to a new heating and cooling system.

If you have any questions or would like a free equipment and energy evaluation please contact Star Quality Air Conditioning.