Why Now is the Best Time to Prevent Future AC Repair
As winter approaches, the focus is generally turning from the cooling season to the heating season, even though there are a few days when we might still need a few hours of air conditioning. This is also an excellent period to schedule AC repair and preventative maintenance for the air conditioning, even though it is basically sitting idle. Here is why maintaining your air conditioner at this time makes sense.
How Off-Season Maintenance Minimizes the Need for AC Repair
Air conditioner technicians are absolutely overwhelmed during the summer months. When the heat and humidity are extreme, the instances of breakdown are high, and the results of breakdowns are discomfort. Those days are in the rearview mirror, and the next cooling season is several months in the future, but for now, the schedule is more open for air conditioner maintenance.
Get Ahead of Emergency AC Repair This Winter
Do you change your air filter regularly? If so, you know that filters work! With each heating or cooling cycle, the air filter collects dust, pollen, mold spores, etc.: honestly, we are not interested in identifying the content of the collected contaminants. If the filter is not changed or cleaned regularly, it will clog and restrict airflow. Both heating and cooling require massive amounts of air to flow through the air handler closet, so filters need to be changed at least quarterly.
The same collection of dust, pollen, etc., is also adhering to the network of tubes of the air conditioner’s condenser unit. This collection acts as insulation, keeping the heat inside the tube, while the condenser is trying to release heat into the environment. Don’t let this dusty layer of insulation cause your compressor motor to overheat. An AC technician will gently wash the dust and dirt away.
The air conditioner uses a manufactured compound that readily collects and releases heat. Water will achieve the same thing, but these refrigerant gases accomplish this process MUCH more efficiently than most other substances. However, it is very necessary to keep the refrigerant within a defined range of gas pressure to work efficiently. A maintenance inspection will include testing the refrigerant pressure to ensure that it does not slowly leak out of the system.
Mechanical and electrical systems experience wear and tear from normal use. Worn parts require the component to work harder, which uses more energy and costs more money to run. Worn parts also force neighboring parts to work hard, with the same results. A maintenance inspection will find the wear, identify weak components, and call for replacement or AC repair of the problem.
Results of Timely AC Maintenance
- Maintenance prevents energy loss and the resulting rise in energy bills.
- The maintenance task of changing the air filter improves indoor air quality when changed regularly.
- A good maintenance inspection will ensure that the air conditioner is removing adequate humidity during cooling cycles. Since mold and mildew require plenty of humidity, this task prevents spore blooms inside your home.
- Maintenance uncovers small problems before they become large problems. AC repairs and corrections save money. The AC repair will still be required, but is more likely to happen during an inopportune time and at great discomfort for family members. You can also expect a greater cost for the AC repair during an air conditioning emergency.
- Maintenance can extend the useful life of your air conditioner. On average, it adds about 5 extra summers of cooling and comfort.
Stop Waiting for Costly AC Repair
Don’t wait for your system to fail during peak season when technician schedules are full and prices are high. Proactive, off-season maintenance is the single best way to catch small issues now, like refrigerant leaks or worn parts, before they escalate. Scheduling a tune-up extends your unit’s life, lowers energy costs, and helps improve your indoor air quality year-round. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat at 281-516-5966 today to schedule your preventative check-up and avoid the pain of emergency AC repair next summer!