The average homeowner has many tasks on their to-do list, like fixing leaking taps, mowing the lawns, and general cleaning chores. However, there’s one task that often falls by the wayside, and that’s air conditioning and heater maintenance.
We often expect our HVAC units to tick away in the background keeping our homes at a comfortable temperature, but they need our help to do this. If it has been some time since you considered AC maintenance, the following reasons might indicate that now is the right time to bring in the experts and tackle the task.
Maintenance Is Often More Affordable Than Repairs
AC technicians recommend twice yearly servicing for their AC units, and many homeowners who heed those recommendations might find themselves with smaller bills than those who wait until their units require repairs. While regular maintenance might not prevent all problems, minor issues can often be picked up during maintenance checks before they become even more severe and costly ones.
Maintenance workers can also ensure your AC Units are functioning as they should and offer helpful advice if you have any questions about keeping your home as comfortable as possible during all four seasons.
You Can Achieve Better Performance
Most people run their air conditioning units and heaters more during summer and winter than at any other time of the year. If your air conditioner sits idle during the winter months, there’s always a chance that something can go wrong just before you need to put it to good use once more. By then, technicians might be in hot demand, and you could be facing lengthy wait times.
If you have it maintained before summer arrives, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you won’t need to experience sweltering hot summer conditions without a working air conditioning unit. Any issues can be identified and rectified long before your family needs it.
Cooling Costs Might Be Cheaper
Dirty and clogged filters can increase your energy consumption by up to 15%. If you’re using more energy, you’re also paying for more energy. Regular cleaning and maintenance might help you keep your air conditioning bills to a minimum.
Your local AC maintenance business can also assist with yearly or twice yearly cleaning of your air conditioner’s evaporator coil and condenser coil. These collect dirt over many months and years, but frequent maintenance might limit how much this affects your unit’s performance and efficiency.
Your Air Conditioning Unit Might Last Longer
Most people prefer to spend their spare money on vacations, restaurant dinners, and other luxuries. However, you might instead need to spend more money on air conditioning unit replacements if you fail to maintain them regularly.
Regular maintenance might reduce how frequently your AC unit breaks down and the number of repairs it might require as a result. This can ultimately equate to a longer lifespan and fewer overall replacements over your period of homeownership.
Your AC Unit’s Warranty Requires It
Warranties on any home goods can offer much-needed peace of mind. When you purchase something new, you get to enjoy knowing that you can receive free or discounted parts and services when something goes wrong with the product or workmanship.
However, when you read through the fine print of many warranty agreements, you often see mention of the requirement for an AC unit to be well-maintained. Sometimes, all maintenance even has to be performed by AC experts.
Failure to heed these guidelines might mean you don’t receive coverage for parts and repairs should your AC unit break down within your warranty period. As a result, you might need to cover the costs of any faults or repairs yourself.
Many Agencies Recommend Maintenance
You might believe that companies are just trying to make money from servicing and that it’s not actually necessary. However, that’s far from the truth. Many major agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Energy and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, recommend regular maintenance and even provide tips and guidance for ensuring you do it properly.
What AC Technicians Do
It’s easy to assume that replacing your AC filters is the extent of the maintenance your unit requires. However, there can be much more involved that requires a skilled hand at least once or twice per year. Technicians generally perform a wide range of tasks, including:
- Finding and identifying problems
- Checking for the appropriate volume of refrigerant
- Testing for refrigerant leaks
- Checking for duct leakages in central systems
- Measuring evaporator coil airflow
- Oiling motors
- Inspecting belts for wear and tightness
- Checking thermostat accuracy
- Inspecting terminals and connections and applying non-conductive coatings if required
These are all tasks that the average homeowner likely won’t have the skills or tools to perform by themselves to a high standard.
While there can be a lot involved in the maintenance of the average home, it’s important not to put AC maintenance at the bottom of the list. When you want to remain comfortable and dry year-round, regular maintenance by trained experts and frequent filter cleaning or replacement can be paramount.
