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