Are you looking forward to the summer months in Tryon NC? Beautiful weather is refreshing, but it’s easy to be caught off-guard by high temperatures. It’s important to be sure that your air conditioner is optimized and ready for use. Repair calls tend to surge in tandem with the temperatures, and an early maintenance schedule can help keep your home comfortable while alleviating the frustration of a system malfunction.
The Basics of Air Conditioner Maintenance
Pre-season service is recommended so that problems with your air conditioner can be diagnosed and fixed before the weather changes. We can do a tune-up at any time during the year, but most scheduled maintenance is handled in the spring. If your cooling is handled by a heat pump, then you will also want to schedule fall service to ensure proper heating function.
A tune-up includes the inspection and adjustment of external and internal parts of your indoor and outdoor units. We look for wear or cracks that indicate a potential failure, and we recommend replacements as needed. We tighten fittings, check coils and lubricate bearings and other moving parts. We also check your drain lines, coils, ducts and thermostat. We clean dirty coils, and we make recommendations if duct cleaning or sealing is needed. We also evaluate your refrigerant levels and make adjustments as needed.
While the primary reason for air conditioner maintenance is optimization of your system, there are some important financial benefits in having a tune-up. Neglecting your system can lead to inefficiency, causing your energy costs to mount. Some examples of this issue include the following:
- Low refrigerant levels cause excessive use of your system due to poor cooling, leading to a shorter compressor life
- Dirty coils can reduce airflow, resulting in poor pressure and cooling throughout the home and increasing your energy costs by up to 20 percent
- Leaky ducts can increase energy loss and result in poor delivery of cool air
- Older thermostat models and faulty thermostats can cause you to overuse your system through imprecise settings
Additional Air Conditioning Efficiency Considerations
Working with a professional HVAC provider is helpful because this allows for modern equipment advancements to be examined. Your technician can help you evaluate the longevity of your system and the operating costs associated with it. All HVAC equipment has a limited lifetime, and planning for a replacement is important. Your technician can help you in planning.
New equipment far exceeds older air conditioning systems in seasonal energy efficiency ratings. Our experts at Gentry Heating, Inc. can help you examine more efficient choices when you are ready for an upgrade. They are also able to help you explore manufacturer incentives and federal tax credits as you think about the best time for new equipment. We can also address air quality issues in your home during our maintenance visits, providing options like ventilators, dehumidifiers and air cleaners. Contact us for a tune-up appointment or consultation.
