The most important maintenance task to ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to replace or clean the filters on a regular basis. Dirty, clogged filters can reduce the amount of air flow and significantly decrease system performance. It is recommended to change the filter at least twice a year, once before the heating season and once before the cooling season. If you live in a particularly dusty area, you may want to change it more often.
Make sure to replace the filter with one that has the same air flow. Moody warns that you should be careful with “air purifying” or HEPA filters, as they can significantly reduce airflow in the system, which can cause the indoor coil to freeze due to reduced airflow. For optimal performance, it is best to have your unit repaired in both early to mid-spring and fall. An HVAC contractor will focus on your furnace to prepare your system for heating demands once temperatures drop.
When the central air conditioning service fails during a heat wave, you may have to wait days for an HVAC repair technician and pay at least several hundred dollars for the repair. It is also important to change your air conditioner filter at least every 90 days. To extend its life, hire an HVAC professional to take care of the maintenance. Dirty air conditioners or poorly functioning systems can cause microorganisms, such as mold, to grow, which can aggravate allergies and asthma.
Condensation from air conditioner coils contains bacteria that can form sludge and clog the drain pipe of the condensing tray. If it continues to sink and squeeze the pipes, or if water collects around the unit, you'll have to fix the air conditioner pad that sinks. When looking for an HVAC technician, make sure you read the small print and know if you're going to receive air conditioning services annually or twice a year, or if the contract includes repairs and emergency calls. To keep your air conditioning system in perfect condition, there are some maintenance tasks that only a trained HVAC technician can perform.
Pick up any leaves and debris left outside the condenser and cut branches and vegetation at least two feet in all directions to ensure adequate air flow around the unit. Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system will consist of an oven and air conditioner or heat pump, which heat and cool. Use this handy checklist to evaluate your HVAC system, then schedule an appointment for any air conditioner maintenance or repair you need before summer begins. Insulate pipes with foam tubes to prevent them from freezing, and protect the outdoor air conditioning unit with a cover that closes tightly.
If you have a forced air cooling system, but there is still one room that is hotter than the others, a booster fan in the form of a duct or vent can increase the flow of cold air that enters that room. Air filters can clog up quickly, significantly reducing the efficiency of the air conditioner and making it difficult to cool the house. Both types will have an indoor unit (evaporator and fan) and an outdoor unit (condenser coil and compressor). Even if you book an annual air conditioning service frequently, there are things you can do throughout the year to optimize its efficiency and make it work at its best.
To keep your air conditioner in perfect shape all year round, make sure you replace or clean your filters regularly, hire an HVAC professional for maintenance tasks, insulate pipes with foam tubes, protect outdoor units with covers that close tightly, use booster fans for rooms that are hotter than others and change filters every 90 days.
