Last week, we blogged about the importance and benefits of arranging for a spring inspection and tune-up to maintain your residential air conditioner. This is the best way to ensure maximum energy efficiency from your AC during the summer, as well as to protect it from unnecessary repair problems and see that it enjoys a long service life.
But what does maintenance really do for the AC? For those of you who are curious about what steps an HVAC technician does during maintenance, we’ve outlined the major ones below.
- Check on thermostat calibration: If the thermostat starts to misread indoor temperatures, even by a few degrees, it will have a negative impact on the AC’s performance.
- Clean/replace filter: This is a job that you will also need to do on your own over the rest of the summer (on a monthly basis) so if you don’t know how it’s done, let the technician show you.
- Clean the condenser coil: The outdoor condenser coil can collect dust and grime over the off-season, and cleaning it will help the AC work at its best.
- Inspect the evaporator coil: The indoor evaporator coil may not need to be cleaned off, but it still needs a close inspection.
- Check electrical connections: If the electrical connections are loose, the technician will tighten them.
- Check on refrigerant level: An air conditioner shouldn’t lose refrigerant during operation. If the refrigerant level has dropped, it means there is a leak somewhere.
- Inspect and clean condensate drain and pan: As the AC operates, moisture from the evaporator coil drips down into this pan. Unless cleaned, it can develop blockage.
- Inspect capacitors: These are electrical components responsible for transferring voltage to the motors that run the fans and the compressor.
This doesn’t cover all the steps. But it will give you an idea of what goes into routine inspections and how they inform a technician about what work needs to be done to see that the system works at peak condition through the summer.
Are you ready to have your AC tuned-up for the coming hot weather? Contact Southeast Air & Heat and ask about our Annual Service Agreement. We serve Orlando and Lake Nona, FL
