Keeping your air conditioner running in good shape is imperative during the hot summer months in the Twin Cities area. Sometimes you can forget about taking care of simple maintenance issues around your home as you go about your busy daily activities. It’s no different with skipped A/C maintenance.
By not keeping your HVAC system tuned up regularly, you can put yourself at a disadvantage if something goes wrong. Waiting well into the summer to get A/C maintenance has drawbacks, including the probable difficulty scheduling a timely appointment. Summer is a busy season for HVAC professionals due to high volumes of service calls. Spring is the best time for a cooling system tune-up.
Preventive Maintenance
By scheduling a preventive maintenance A/C tune-up, you should anticipate a comprehensive inspection of your system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program recommends the following steps that an HVAC technician should follow:
- Check thermostat settings to ensure proper function
- Examine and tighten electrical connections as necessary
- Lubricate all moving parts to product specifications to prevent friction
- Check the condensate drain for obstructions
- Inspect the system controls to ensure the A/C is cycling correctly
- Cleaning of the evaporator and condensing coils to eliminate dust buildup, which inhibits the A/C from cooling properly
- Measure and adjust refrigerant levels for peak cooling function
- Fine-tune and clean the blower or air handler for proper airflow
Air Filter
You can do your part to help maintain the integrity of your air conditioning system by keeping the air filter inspected on a monthly basis and changing it when it looks dirty. This prevents restrictive airflow due to dirty and clogged filters and ensures that your system runs efficiently. By skipping this simple measure, you could increase operating costs, erode performance, and reduce the life expectancy of your HVAC system.
By making good on that skipped A/C maintenance appointment with a reputable HVAC specialist now, you can avoid a number of problems with your cooling system. There’s no time like the present to schedule maintenance on a neglected A/C.
For more information on scheduling an A/C maintenance tune-up, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving our Twin Cities customers for 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “ducu59us/Shutterstock”