A poorly maintained AC system will never work as effectively or as energy efficiently as it should. So if you want to ensure that your home is cool all summer and keep your electricity bills as low as possible, it’s essential that your AC system is properly maintained. Here, we’ll explain what maintenance an AC system requires and what steps you should take to keep your AC running smoothly this summer.
Schedule a Spring AC Tune-Up
AC systems require regular maintenance to continue functioning effectively, and it’s important to understand that you really can’t properly maintain your AC system yourself. Knowing how to properly inspect, maintain and service an AC system takes years of training and experience. It’s also almost certain that you don’t have the right equipment to perform certain important tasks, such as measuring the level of refrigerant in the system. Trying to perform tasks like cleaning the condenser coil or evaporator coil yourself could easily result in a refrigerant leak or major damage to the coil as well. This last issue is definitely something you want to avoid, since having to replace either coil can cost up to a few thousand dollars.
Scheduling an AC tune-up sometime in the early spring before you need to turn your air conditioning on should help ensure that your system runs smoothly all summer long. It will also keep your electricity bills lower. Common issues like a dirty evaporator or condenser coil will greatly reduce the effectiveness of an AC system so that it takes longer to cool your home. Many issues can also snowball and create other problems that put the system at risk of suddenly breaking down. If your AC isn’t maintained regularly, you can also expect it to have a shorter lifespan than it would otherwise.
One important part of an AC tune-up is to inspect and test all the components in the system. This allows the technician to identify any components that are beginning to wear out or spot issues that could lead to the system suddenly not working. If the technician identifies any issues, they should be able to repair the problem or replace the bad component then and there. That way, you should be able to ensure that your system will continue working all summer long without any problems.
Replace the AC Air Filter Regularly
The one maintenance task that you can do yourself is replacing the AC air filter, and this is something that should be done at least every three months. While three months is the general recommendation, you may need to replace the filter more often during the hottest months when your AC runs much more. Homes with cats or dogs will also usually have to replace the filter in their AC system more often, since pet hair and dander can quickly start to clog the filter up.
The fact that you may need to change the filter more often is why we recommend checking the filter at least monthly and replacing it once it starts to look darker. If your system has a reusable filter instead of a disposable filter, you also must check and wash it regularly. The reason that replacing the air filter is so important is to ensure that your AC system continues to have sufficient airflow. As an air filter gets dirty, it starts to restrict the airflow in the AC system. That means that it becomes more difficult for the AC blower to pull air through the filter.
If the airflow is restricted, it will greatly decrease the rate at which the AC system cools. The reason is simply that there is less warm air coming into the system, which means that it can’t capture as much heat. When this happens, it can lead to the system running for an extremely long time or even running constantly without the temperature in your home decreasing. Not only will this make your electricity bills much higher, but the increased workload can also cause your AC to suddenly break down or have a shortened lifespan.
Another issue that commonly happens when the air filter is too dirty is that the evaporator coil will frequently freeze up. Condensation always naturally forms on the evaporator coil as an AC system runs. Normally, all the water just drips off the coil into the drain pan underneath it. However, if the airflow is restricted and there isn’t enough warm air constantly blowing over the coil, the water can quickly start to freeze. This is because the refrigerant flowing through the coil is so cold.
Having your AC freeze up is a major issue since it prevents the system from working at all. This means all it will do is start circulating warm air around your house. If the evaporator coil freezes, your only option is to shut your AC off and leave it off for a few hours to allow the coil to thoroughly thaw out. You can turn the fan on so that it blows warm air over the coil, but you definitely want to shut the AC itself off. If not, you run the risk of causing severe damage to the compressor or completely ruining it. This last one is generally the worst issue that an AC system can experience, since replacing the compressor motor will usually cost about the same as installing a new AC unit.
Clean Debris and Trim Vegetation From Around Your AC Condenser
Another important task is to regularly check the AC condenser unit outside to make sure that it has sufficient clearance. That means making sure no vegetation is growing close to the unit and that there are no leaves or debris piled up around it or stuck to it. The general rule is that there should be at least two feet of open space in front of the unit and on both sides.
Having sufficient clearance is essential for ensuring the compressor fan on the top or side of the unit can circulate air through the unit. The purpose of this fan is to blow air over the condenser coil, which allows the unit to effectively release the heat it captured from inside the home. The process works because the refrigerant is first compressed and “superheated” before it gets pumped into the condenser coil. This means that the refrigerant is far hotter than the air blowing over the coil, which results in the heat naturally flowing out of the refrigerant into the air.
If the unit doesn’t have sufficient clearance and the airflow is blocked, it makes it nearly impossible for the system to release this heat. This makes the system much less effective since the refrigerant won’t get nearly as cold before it gets pumped inside. A lack of airflow will often also lead to the AC unit overheating, which can cause it to suddenly shut down. There is also a chance that the wiring inside the unit and other components can get severely damaged when the unit overheats.
Your Trusted AC Professionals
Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc. is a locally owned company that has been serving Hillsboro and the Portland Metro area since 2016. We specialize in AC maintenance and repairs, and our team can do whatever it takes to ensure your AC works effectively. We’re also ready to help if you need an AC replacement or any heating, water heater or indoor air quality services. If you want to schedule an AC tune-up or require any other HVAC service, contact us today.