What you can do NOW to avoid costly
air conditioning problems
There’s GOLD in them there air conditioning systems!
“Gold?”
you ask. “Are there air conditioner thieves about?”
“Relax,” I say. “Settle down.” I’m
not talking suburban pirates—no need to bolt your compressor to the ground or build bunkers
around your ventilation ducts. I’m
talking about the safe, shiny gold of savings.
The treasure in your AC system will
leak out if you don’t lock it down—it’s up to you to guard it. Good property
managers know how to mine the savings from their AC systems: regularly
scheduled maintenance by qualified service technicians.
You’ve probably heard the old homeowner
riddle:
When
is SPENDING money also SAVING money?
When
you spend it on AC maintenance!
Cars need oil changes, gardens need
weeding, and AC systems need tune-ups. Now is the perfect time to schedule a
preventive checkup—before summer hits. If your equipment hasn’t had regular
maintenance, odds are you’ll be blowing a lot of hot air soon.
Proper maintenance
prevents problems and saves money.
Every
AC repairman knows that the number one cause of cooling
system failure is a lack of regular maintenance. And every manufacturer,
utility company, and consumer protection group—even the Environmental
Protection Association— recommends regular service of your HVAC system, no
matter how old the system is.
Benefits of
servicing your HVAC system:
- SAFETY – Inspection
of electrical and chemical connections, exhaust systems, and drains which
can become clogged with mold or algae.
- FEWER REPAIRS
– A professional technician nips problems in the bud before they need
costly repairs.
- SERVICE SAVINGS
– If repairs are needed, most AC contractors offer a discount to their
maintenance customers.
- WARRANTY
PAYOUTS – Manufacturers currently offer 12-year warranties on their
equipment, as long as regular maintenance has been performed.
- ENERGY SAVINGS
– A dirty filter
can increase energy costs by 50% and damage your equipment, leading to
early failure.
- EXTENDED
EQUIPMENT LIFE – Many properly maintained air conditioning systems run for
30 years or more.
- PRIORITY CUSTOMER
STATUS – Most air conditioning contractors give priority to customers who
commit to a maintenance program. When it's 110 degrees and the phones are
ringing off the hook, maintenance customers are taken care of first.
There is no better way to protect
your investment in heating and air conditioning than regular system maintenance.
Maintenance
Checklist
What should you expect from your spring
and fall checkups? An
air conditioning service
technician should take all of the following steps:
- Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling
and heating system will keep you comfortable when you are home and save
energy while you are away.
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and
current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe
operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
- Lubricate all moving parts. Operating motors with
insufficient lubrication causes friction and uses more electricity.
- Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air
conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A clogged
drain can cause water damage in your house, affect indoor humidity levels,
and cause mold to grow.
- Check controls of the system to ensure proper and
safe operation. Check the equipment’s starting cycle to assure the system
starts, operates, and shuts off properly.
- Clean the evaporator and the condenser’s air
conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce a system's ability to cool your
home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and
reducing the life of the equipment.
- Check your central air conditioner's refrigerant level and adjust if
necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less
efficient.
- Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper
airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your
system's efficiency by up to 15%.
- Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your
central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show
you how to do this.
Most
responsible air conditioning companies use a checklist that they will be happy
to show you.
If
you protect your AC system, it will protect you. Schedule an air conditioner maintenance appointment before it’s too late!
