During those sweltering summer months, you expect your home’s air conditioning system to keep you comfortable, reliably operating without hesitation. To ensure your air conditioning is working at its most efficient settings, homeowners should have their air conditioner serviced at least once per year.
The ideal time for having your system maintenance is in the late spring right before summer when the unit will be at peak performance. By keeping your air conditioner properly maintained, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency, extend the lifespan of your equipment, improve indoor air quality and have less frequent and costly system repairs.
Essential Maintenance for Air Conditioners
To guarantee your air conditioning system is efficiently cooling your home when you need it most, it’s crucial to have a professional perform routine maintenance at least once annually in the spring. During an essential preventative maintenance check for air conditioners, your local expert will:
- Clean the condenser coil
- Clean the evaporator coil
- Test the refrigerant charge
- Clean the condensate drain
- Inspect the electrical charge
- Add lubricant as needed
- Test thermostat and controls
By trusting your local air conditioning expert, you can guarantee they have the tools and experience to clean and maintain your system thoroughly without causing damages. They also have the practical knowledge to spot potential issues and wearing components that could develop into more extensive and costlier repairs later.
Can Homeowners Perform Routine A/C Maintenance?
While having a professional air conditioner repair and maintenance professional is the best solution to keeping your system operating smoothly, there are several items homeowners can look over to keep the air conditioning in good working shape between annual visits.
Homeowners should perform the following air conditioner maintenance tasks as needed:
- Replacing the Filter: As your unit operates, it collects dirt and debris — trapping the excess in the air filter. As the filter dirties, it prevents natural air flow, causing the fan motor to work harder to circulate air. This added effort wastes energy and causes the fan motor to wear faster. This combined operation may also cause indoor or outdoor coils to freeze. Once every month, homeowners should check the filter and replace if there’s a layer of buildup. During months of heavy use, you can expect to replace the filter every one or two months.
- Inspecting the Condenser: Locate the outdoor unit’s condenser and look over the fins for bent or crushed parts. With a comb available from most hardware stores, straighten any of these damaged fins. Also, look over the refrigerant lines for oily residue or damaged insulation that could indicate a refrigerant leak, reducing the system’s efficiency.
- Cleaning the Condenser: While inspecting the fins for damage, turn off the power and clean the area by removing leaves and debris buildup with a soft brush. Then, remove the top of the unit and wash the fins from the inside with a garden hose.
If you’re ever unsure about proper maintenance or find you need repairs between annual visits, call your local air conditioning experts at Dick Ray Master Plumber to visit your home and inspect the issue quickly, reliably and affordably.
Trust Dick Ray Master Plumber With Your Pre-Season A/C Maintenance
For the most reliable, affordable and quality air conditioning repair and maintenance services in the Kansas City Metro area, call the experts at Dick Ray Master Plumber. Our trained and skilled technicians can handle your routine air conditioner maintenance to ensure your system works reliably when you expect it to. They’ll even answer the following questions for you:
Why should you get A/C maintenance?
How often does an air conditioner need service?
When should I get my air conditioner serviced?
To learn more about our preventative maintenance services, complete our online contact form or speak to one of our team members at (913) 214-8770.
