As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, routine maintenance is essential to ensuring that your air conditioner functions as efficiently as possible. When an air conditioning system is well taken care of, it has the potential to last for a decade or more, providing quality cooling for you and your family. Neglecting maintenance means you run the risk of paying for expensive repairs you never saw coming, and possibly even premature failure of your system. To save yourself time and money, you should invest in a maintenance plan. But what actually happens during these appointments?
What Maintenance Involves
Fortunately for you, there is not much you need to do to physically maintain your AC system. The one task you can and should take care of is replacing your air filter, which should be done at least every three months—more often if your home has significant contaminants such as pet dander or cigarette smoke. The rest of maintenance, however, can all be done by an HVAC professional, and includes the following:
- A check of your evaporator and condenser coils to ensure that they are unobstructed, clean, and able to absorb and release heat.
- A check on the refrigerant level to make sure it hasn’t dropped, which indicates there could be a leak.
- Tightening electric connections if necessary and making other proper adjustments as needed.
- Cleaning the condensate pan and drain in order to prevent the moisture from the evaporator coils from overflowing.
- Cleaning and lubricating the motors for the fans and the compressor to avoid mechanical stress, as this can lead to them burning out.
- Checking the thermostat for accurate settings, and recalibrating it if necessary.
- Replacing or cleaning the air filter.
At this time, your HVAC technician will also make recommendations for repairs. It’s best you tackle these right away as to avoid more expensive emergency repairs later on down the road.
To schedule your AC maintenance appointment in Santa Fe, NM, contact Roadrunner Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration today.
