Having an air conditioner (AC) at home can be a lifesaver during the hot summer. These cooling units provide homeowners with a temporary escape from the sweltering heat and humidity, ensuring they’re comfortable and calm. It can also boost your health by minimizing the risk of heat-related illnesses like dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
However, like most things, its constant use will eventually diminish your system’s cooling capabilities and decrease efficiency. Therefore, you must schedule regular air conditioner servicing. As you contact your local HVAC technician, sometimes you may wonder why you need routine maintenance and how often you should plan it.
If you’re ready to provide everyone with a comfortable summer experience at home, this article will answer how often you should schedule air conditioner service for standard components. We’ll also explain when to seek professional assistance from a licensed technician.
How Often Should I Sanitize or Change My AC Filters?
You can maintain your air conditioner’s best condition by regularly cleaning or replacing the filters. Besides being unsightly, dirty filters can negatively affect your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) and limit airflow to the system, causing the machine to work harder to cool the space.
Professional HVAC technicians recommend homeowners clean or replace filters once a month during the peak season or every two months if they use the AC less frequently. However, it’s still best to habitually do this on the first day of each month.
How Often Should I Check and Clean the Coils?
As time passes, your air conditioner’s coils can become dirty, causing decreased cooling and reduced efficiency. When dirt and dust accumulate on the evaporator coil, it acts as an insulator, preventing it from absorbing heat from the air.
Professional technicians strongly recommend checking and cleaning your air conditioner’s coils at least once yearly. However, if you’re in a region where you use your air conditioner for extended periods, you must clean them twice yearly.
How Often Should I Service the Condensate Drain?
When your air conditioner runs, moisture builds up in the system, which the condensate line will remove. However, if this line becomes blocked, it can cause problems like reduced efficiency, higher humidity levels and potential water damage.
You can avoid these issues and dodge costly mistakes by clearing the condensate drain yearly. You can easily clean it by inserting a stiff wire for most systems.
How Long Does HVAC Maintenance Typically Take?
Letting professionals check and service your air conditioner annually or bi-annually usually takes one to two hours. However, it may change depending on factors like the kind of cooling unit you have, your house’s size, and when you last scheduled the maintenance. On the other hand, if you’re letting them repair your AC, this service’s duration could differ based on the issue you have and its severity.
When Should You Schedule Professional Air Conditioner Servicing?
Some air conditioner problems require a professional to fix, and you can’t perform some maintenance tasks alone. For instance, you should let a licensed HVAC technician check the refrigerant levels and inspect for leaks. You should also let them inspect and clean your cooling unit annually to check electrical connections, belts, ducts, and clean coils.
You can save money and handle some of your air conditioner maintenance tasks if you have free time and are willing to do them. However, you should leave certain air conditioner maintenance aspects to the professionals. Besides the usual cleaning and inspection, a licensed HVAC technician may give you tips on enhancing your system’s performance.
Conclusion
No homeowner deserves to endure a hot summer without a cooling unit because it can be highly uncomfortable. You can create cherished and comfortable memories with everyone by knowing when to service your air conditioners and working with professional HVAC technicians.
If your home needs professional air conditioner service in the Durham Region, call the Climate Experts! Our company installs, services, and maintains all big AC brands to help you stay comfortable during the summer holidays. Get a free estimate now!
