Maintenance
An air conditioner's filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.
If you don’t know this already, regular maintenance for your heating and air conditioning units is very important. The people who don’t realize this are often those whose systems unexpectedly break down, leaving them without any heating or air conditioning during some of the most uncomfortable times of year.
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For the small amount of money it costs to schedule a professional tune-up, the return on your investment can be huge. Besides helping avoid unexpected breakdowns, tune-ups are important for helping your unit recover lost efficiency, operate more safely, increase the overall lifespan of the unit, improve your overall level of comfort, and reduce your operating expenses. Ideally your heating and air conditioning system should be inspected at least once a year.
A thorough tune-up should include the following:
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A comprehensive cleaning of the condenser coils. Doing so increases efficiency (which directly impacts energy costs) and can reduce the wear and tear on your system.
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Evaluation of the coolant level to help maintain peak operating performance. Lubrication of all moving parts to eliminate friction and wear that can increase your energy costs.
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A full calibration of your thermostat to verify proper operation.
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An inspection of the duct work for possible energy loss.
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Tightening and inspection of all the electrical connections to verify safe system operation.
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Evaluate performance of the blower motor and the condition of the blower belt... and more.
Request Maintenance
Air Conditioner Filters
The most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters reduce the amount of airflow and significantly reduce a system's efficiency. In addition, when airflow is obstructed, air can bypass the filter and deposit dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil's heat-absorbing capacity. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.
Air Conditioner Coils
The air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over their months and years of service. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling quickly. In time, however, the evaporator coil will still collect dirt. This dirt reduces airflow and insulates the coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. To avoid this problem, check your evaporator coil every year and clean it as necessary.
Outdoor condenser coils can also become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. You can easily see the condenser coil and notice if dirt is collecting on its fins.
Coil Fins & Condensate Drains
The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block airflow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a "fin comb" that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition.
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​Occasionally pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. Clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting excess moisture may discolor walls or carpet.
