It’s spring in Southern California, which means the season for air conditioner tune-ups is here! This is the time of year that we take a look at our customers’ air conditioners and perform all the necessary inspections and tasks that will ensure their cooling systems run smoothly and efficiently all summer long.
Most homeowners do not call in a professional to look at their air conditioner until a major issue arises. When a major problem occurs, you know you need a professional. But before that, getting regular air conditioning tune-ups will save you money on repairs. They can also save you money year-round on energy costs.
Benefits of Getting an Air conditioner Tune-Up
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Decrease the Risk of a Breakdown
When the weather changes, so do your heating and cooling. After sitting idle for months, your HVAC equipment needs a tune-up to run at peak performance. Regular maintenance can help prevent minor problems, like that worn belt that makes that odd noise from your unit. It can also help you avoid major breakdowns that take the system out of operation completely. These major problems always seem to happen at the worst possible time, such as during the hottest days of the summer. Unfortunately, those are the times that HVAC contractors are at their busiest, which means you may have to wait for someone to fix the problem. By getting your system tuned up early and often, you can avoid this headache and avoid interruption to your cooling needs.
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Improve Comfort Levels in Your Home
The whole reason you have an air conditioner in your home is to keep you and your family comfortable. Without an annual tune-up, your air conditioner will likely develop inefficiencies and problems that make it difficult to cool your home the way you want it to.
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Save Money
In addition to the savings you will get by avoiding emergency repairs later, you can save you up to 30% on your summer energy bills. When you consider the fact that more than half of your home’s energy costs are for heating and cooling, improving your air conditioner’s efficiency is a worthwhile investment.
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Extend the AC Unit’s Lifespan
Just as regular oil changes help to keep your car running smoothly for years, annual maintenance will help your air conditioner have a longer usable lifetime. Keeping the unit free of dust and dirt and ensuring all parts are lubricated and working properly will help increase efficiency, performance quality, and reliability.
While no AC is going to last forever, failure to schedule annual maintenance is going to lead to potential system failure earlier than you should have to. Older systems may fall off in terms of efficiency and performance quality, but if you want to keep your system up and running as long as possible and operating as well as possible, then annual maintenance is the key that you are looking for.
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Catch Small Problems Before They Become BIG Problems
The longer you ignore a problem with your air conditioner, the worse it will tend to get. Often times, unattended problems will leave you with higher operating costs as well as more expensive repairs. During a tune-up, we will check for any problems — big or small — that your cooling system might be experiencing and take care of them before they get worse.
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Keeps Your Air Clean
When you do schedule a tune-up, our professionals perform a 21 point tune-up and safety check. One of the first things they do is to clean the dirt and dust from your unit. Dust and build up are your air conditioner and heater’s worst enemy, and the more you ignore it, the harder your system has to work to evenly heat or cool the home. Working past all that dust and debris cranks up your energy bill too. So with regular tune-ups, you can ensure your system is as efficient as can be.
An Air Conditioner Tune-Up Includes:
- Lubricating all motors and bearings
- Cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils
- Replacing the air filter
- Checking the refrigerant level
- Cleaning and adjusting the blower
- Checking and testing all electrical connections and controls
- Checking and cleaning the condensate drain
- Checking and calibrating the thermostat settings
- Checking voltage & amp draw of blower motor, compressor and condenser fan
- Testing the cooling system and capacitors
How Often Should I Have My Air Conditioner Tuned Up?
Every year, you will need to have your coils cleaned and have various motors worked on. If it does not receive that attention, your home’s air conditioner will lose efficiency and most likely need costly replacement parts much earlier than you should. Maintaining your air conditioner can double its lifespan, which means you’ll save thousands of dollars on replacements and installations.
Final Thoughts
As the weather begins to warm up and winter starts to die away, it is important to take a few preventative measures to protect your home through the warmer months when windows start to open and birds begin to sing. Air conditioner tune-ups can seem like a frivolous thing to have done for someone who is unaware of their benefits and the importance. But the truth is, you will be stopping problems before they get out of hand. And while it may seem like you’re paying extra money for the tune-up, you’re actually saving on repairs, replacements, and energy costs by having it done.
If your system needs repair or inspection, call Aire-Tech on 951-926-1002. You can also visit our Contact page and complete the contact form.