Having a failing air conditioning system could compromise your mood, comfort, productivity, and even your health.
One of the reasons your air conditioner (AC) malfunctions is its dirty coils. You can address this problem by cleaning the air filter and other components.
However, electrical issues and low refrigerant levels may also cause AC failure, which requires the assistance of professionals.
Below are important reasons why your AC needs routine maintenance:
1. To Ensure Your AC Is In Top Shape
During summer, your HVAC system works almost 24/7, especially your AC. It can be disappointing when your AC stops working on a very hot day, greatly affecting your family’s comfort.
With air conditioning services and maintenance, you’ll ensure that your AC is in good condition, most especially during scorching summer days.
Your HVAC technician can help ensure that your AC is in good condition by:
- Checking for refrigerant leaks
- Inspecting electric terminals
- Checking fan belts for tightness
- Inspecting and sealing duct leakage in centralized AC systems
2. To Resolve Existing Issues
What are some common AC problems? Your AC system could face many potential issues during its entire lifespan. Keeping your air conditioner well-maintained can help detect issues as early as possible.
Hire a professional HVAC specialist to check your AC. This way, you can prevent the following:
- Fan Problems: The fan in your AC blows indoor air over the evaporator coil, cooling the air. Another fan is located inside your outdoor unit’s condenser. Fan problems may arise due to lack of lubrication, faulty motor, dirt accumulation, or worn belts, possibly leading to compressor failure.
- Leaking Ducts: If there are holes or cracks in the ductwork caused by rodents or mishandling, it will take longer for your AC to cool the place down, increasing your energy bills.
- Thermostat Issues: Old dial-type thermostats may have incorrect calibration. When this happens, your AC won’t get the right instructions from its control system. Air conditioners with new programmable thermostats are tricky to program. An HVAC technician can resolve this problem by recalibrating or replacing your thermostats.
- Low Refrigerant: If your AC system leaks, the refrigerant levels drop, which in turn, leads to ineffective operation especially in cooling the air.
3. To Save On Energy Costs
You can ensure your air conditioner’s efficiency by cleaning or replacing its air filters. If your AC has a clogged, dirty air filter, its natural airflow is blocked, drastically reducing your system’s efficiency.
Airflow obstruction happens when dust-ridden air gets into the air filter then the evaporator coil, which in turn, disrupts your AC’s heat absorption.
Therefore, it’s necessary to replace a clogged and dirty filter with a new one and conduct routine AC maintenance to lower its energy consumption by 5% to 15%.
Clean or replace the air filter of your AC at least once every two months during the cooling season. If you have pets at home or if you use your AC constantly, you may need to replace the air filter more often.
Ensuring your AC is in good condition involves the intervention of experts. An HVAC professional will perform the following to help you save on energy cost during routine maintenance:
- Ensure the right refrigerant levels
- Measure the evaporator coil’s airflow
- Clean and tighten connections
- Apply a non-conductive coating as necessary
- Check thermostat accuracy
4. To Avoid Bigger Problems
Ignoring routine maintenance is one of the common HVAC mistakes that can cause more problems, especially financially.
Emergency repair generally costs more than a scheduled repair, since HVAC companies would need to adjust their time and manpower to accommodate an urgent problem.
If you want to save money on the repair cost, it’s crucial to conduct regular maintenance at least once a year.
5. To Maintain A Healthy Environment
Health problems, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, may arise with the use of inefficient air conditioning systems. It can also affect indoor air quality.
If you fail to maintain your AC, it will collect excessive amounts of mold, pollen, and dust. These can cause infections and trigger asthma and allergies.
The health benefits of air conditioning outweigh the risks. It likewise reduces your risk of dehydration and minimizes the detrimental effects of a heatwave on your body.
Thus, routine maintenance for your AC is not only important for financial reasons, but also for preventing health problems.
Conclusion
Now that you’re aware of the reasons your AC needs routine maintenance, take time to choose the best HVAC company to help you implement the same.
Yearly AC maintenance is necessary, preferably during spring. Maintain the efficient operation of your HVAC system all year round by checking for warning signs of failure.
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