Homeowners who schedule A/C maintenance before the beginning of the summer can rest easy knowing they’ve done everything they can to lower operational costs and keep their air conditioners running dependably. On the other hand, skipping professional maintenance before the cooling season starts increases the risk of system breakdowns and higher energy bills.
What You Can Do
You can start the process by changing the air filter if it’s covered with dust and inspect the condition of the outdoor condenser. No vegetation should block the air from blowing through the condenser’s coils because it would slow down the cooling process. The coils themselves should be clean. If not, hose them off with a mild spray of water. Keeping the air filter clean ensures the free flow of air through the air handler, reducing stress on the parts and shortening the time it takes the air conditioner to cool your home.
Professional A/C Maintenance
HVAC technicians have the tools and training to inspect the entire system when they perform A/C maintenance. Most annual maintenance service involves the following steps:
- Inspecting the condition of the electrical components, cleaning and tightening if necessary. When these parts are loose or dirty, they work less efficiently and can overheat, which may cause a fire.
- Lubricating the motors and inspecting the belt condition, tightening or replacing it if needed.
- Cleaning both the evaporator coil inside the air handler and the coil inside the outdoor condenser.
- Measuring the refrigerant level. If the level is too high or too low, your system won’t run as efficiently as it could and the evaporator coil may even freeze over. If it’s low, the technician will look for the leak source and fix it before refilling the system.
- Measure the airflow rate through the blower to search for duct leaks, then seal any leaks with metal tape or mastic.
For more information about A/C maintenance and to learn how it protects your system while lowering energy consumption, contact Berkeley Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve provided HVAC services for Hanahan, Mount Pleasant, and North Charleston for more than 50 years.
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