Seasonal Air Conditioner Maintenance

That wonderful machine - your air conditioner - keeps you cool and comfortable all summer long, but many people don't even realize it requires seasonal maintenance in order to continue running efficiently. Proper maintenance will ensure that your air conditioning unit lasts for several years without needing repairs or replacement.

Maintaining your a/c unit means you won't have to call a service person any time soon and spend a lot of money on expensive repair jobs. In fact, if you give your air conditioning professional a call on a seasonal basis, at the beginning of every summer, you won't have to pay him/her truckloads of cash when something goes terribly wrong. For example, sometimes refrigerant leaks out over time, which slows down the efficiency of your system. A professional can fix this problem before it gets out of hand.

In addition, once a month conduct a few checks to make sure the unit is in good working order.

Air should flow freely through the condenser, evaporator coils, and the furnace's blower unit. The coils look like the radiator in a car. They are comprised of loops of tubing through a honeycomb of aluminum fins. Look for leaves, debris, and dust - this type of material on the fins has the potential to hinder airflow and compromise your cooling system.

Clean the fins to ensure the proper running of your a/c unit. Just be careful when doing so, as the fins bend easily and anything sharp may damage the soft copper tubing.

The blower unit in your furnace is also important. Cool air is heavy and can strain belts and bearings, so regular furnace checkups should be part of the procedure.

The condensing unit needs to be clear so that air can flow through uninterrupted. If leaves have settled there, hose them out, and also prune any nearby shrubs so that they stay out of the way. Also examine the condensate drain when the weather turns humid to double check that moisture is being carried away from the system.

Filter maintenance is also crucial. In fact, a clogged filter can shut down an air conditioning unit entirely. Several times per season change the filter and remember, never run a unit without a filter installed.

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