As the weather continues to warm up around Clarksville, your air conditioner maintenance checklist should be on your radar. While many people wait until they feel like they need to run their unit to test it out, this often leaves you with a system not working effectively during the hottest times.
To ensure your system is going to survive those hot months, take the time to have maintenance performed on your system in the spring. Doing so allows you time to schedule and budget any needed repairs before you really need your system.
Why Get Seasonal Maintenance?
You air conditioner has two primary functions. First, it circulates air through your system and your home. Second, it circulates refrigerant through your system to transfer heat from inside your home to the air outside.
If either of these functions is not working properly, then your system will not run properly. Not only does this drive up your energy costs, but also drives up your repair bills as well. The goal of maintaining your system regularly is to ensure your system is ready to run efficiently, fixing minor things that may reduce the efficiency.
Do so also extends the life of your system by reducing the overall strain it experiences. Many manufacturers feel so strongly about the importance of proper maintenance it is a term of their warranty. But what should be included in a spring AC maintenance visit? (continue below)
Why Choose DOC Heating & Cooling?
What Should Be Included In An AC Maintenance Checklist?
There is a lot of variation from one company to another in what is included in an annual preventative service call. Reputable companies should have a checklist they will share with you so you can see what has been done. When comparing services from various companies around Clarksville, ask for a copy of the checklist, so you can compare the service provided to the price charged.
Check Your Air Filters
Your filters should be one of the first things a technician should check, being this is the starting point for air coming into your system. If you have clogged filters, you will not get the right airflow through your system.
While checking the filters should be standard, replacing them may not be included. Be sure to check this when inquiring about services from an HVAC provider.
Clean the Coils
Your system has two coils that help transfer heat. The evaporator coil is inside, and absorbs the heat from the air running through the system. The condensing coil is in the outside unit, and transfer that heat to the air outside. Both of these tend to collect various contaminants from the air, and need to be cleaned to ensure they are not a point of restriction. Also, the coils are delicate, and built up dust and dirt can corrode the metal, and lead to a leak.
Clean & Balance Blower Fan
Your blower fan, also known as the circulating fan, is what control air flowing through your system. It runs both with your AC and furnace, so it experiences a lot of wear and tear. It also collects a lot of air contaminants, much like the evaporator coil.
To keep your system circulating the right amount of air flow, the fan wheel should be cleaned. It may also get off balance, causing it to add additional strain to the fan motor. Your technician should balance and clean the fan, as well as check the mounting bolts or screws are right.
Test All Electrical Components
Your system has several electrical components that assist in the system running properly. The two most common to have problems are the contactor and the capacitor. Both of these sit in the condensing unit outside. With a proper test, you can detect when these are going bad before they cause damage to your system.
Your technician to test both of these as part of your visit. However, replacing worn out components is usually an additional cost, but may be able to be done at the same time, preventing an additional service call charge.
Check Refrigerant Level
Low refrigerant in your system not only prevents the system from cooling the air properly, but also puts a lot of wear on your compressor. A technician will check the level of the refrigerant as part of their visit, but adding more to your system will be an additional charge. If you are still running an older system on the R22 refrigerant, it will be a good time to explore replacing your air conditioner because of the exceptionally high cost of the older refrigerant.
Lubricate Fan Motors
Your fan motors have bearings inside that allow them to turn freely. Just like the bearings in your car, the need to be lubricated to keep them from sticking or causing additional friction. Your technician should lubricate both the condensing fan and blower fan motor annually, unless they are a sealed unit. If they are sealed, they should be inspected to ensure the seal is still good.
Calibrate Thermostat
Your technician should also check your thermostat to ensure it is registering the correct temperature and cycling on and off at the right times. Even a degree or two difference in the temperature reading can amount to a huge change in your energy usage.
Test the System
Finally, the technician should test your system by running it through a cycle. This allows them to ensure all components are cycling on and off at the correct time, and the system is properly pressurized. Even with all of the other checks, this is one of the most critical to ensuring your system actually works properly when you want to start it up.
Call an Experienced Professional if Your System is Malfunctioning
Do you have an extremely old system? Are you seeing or hearing things that weren’t there before? If you suspect that the system is not working properly, you should call a professional as soon as possible.
A few signs that the system is in trouble include abnormal noises or smells, an extremely cold home, expensive bills, and frequent shutoffs. Regardless of the concern, an experienced professional can solve the problem and perform the necessary repairs before an emergency occurs.
Prevention and AC Tune-up costs are much more reasonable than having a costly repair later. Whether you live in Clarksville, TN or somewhere close by, the professionals at DOC Heating and Cooling are ready to help. The highly-trained technicians are available 24/7 for emergency calls and for regular maintenance to help keep your heating & cooling system running smoothly.
Schedule an Appointment Today!
Whether you live in Clarksville, TN or somewhere close by we are ready to help. Our highly trained technicians are available 24/7 to keep your heating & cooling system running smoothly.
