An air conditioner (AC), just like a car, needs regular maintenance and service to run efficiently. At Burns & McBride, we recommend getting your air conditioning unit serviced and cleaned at least once a year. The optimum time is in the spring to ensure your system will run with the most efficiency during the hottest summer months. You need to be able to rely on your air conditioner for your comfort here in Wilmington.
Why Is Maintenance Important?
The short answer is it saves you money!
Your air conditioner collects dust and dirt continuously as it sits throughout the year here in Delaware, not only in the months when it’s running. Though this tiny debris may not seem harmful, when it accumulates throughout the year, it can make its way into the cracks and crevices of your unit, as well as everywhere else. This creates gunk and wreaks havoc on the different parts involved in the cooling process.
When this happens, parts break down much sooner than expected and can add up to costly repairs. It also decreases the life expectancy of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, forcing you to purchase a new air conditioner much sooner than you may have planned.
Regular air conditioning maintenance also supports your system’s energy efficiency. Simple acts you can perform yourself, like replacing a dirty and clogged air filter, can reduce your energy consumption by 5 to 15 percent, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE).
This translates to you spending less money on your utility bills. Professional and DIY maintenance alleviates higher bills and keeps your air conditioner working at its manufacturer’s intended efficiency.
Even if you are fastidious with doing your own regular home maintenance, you should always have your unit cleaned and checked in the spring by one of our professionals (if not more throughout the year).
There are many tasks only a professional technician is trained and certified to perform. Neglecting these professional tasks constitutes poor maintenance and will negatively affect your system in the long run, again, costing you money. This typically also voids your system’s manufacturer warranty.
What Can I Expect My Technician to Do During My Regular Maintenance?
Here’s a brief checklist our EPA-certified technicians follow during your 60-90 minute A/C preventative maintenance appointment:
✓ Check thermostat
Thermostats can break. Batteries can die. Wires can work loose over time. A quick review by an expert will prevent a huge headache.
✓ Check filter
We know you get busy, and this important item gets lost in everything else going on in your life. We make sure to check that it’s done so your airflow doesn’t get stifled. We will replace the filter if it is a standard 1” one.
✓ Check and clean outdoor coil
Chances are you didn’t clean your coil at the end of the summer, and all that dust and dirt just got more embedded through the winter. We take the time to carefully clean your outdoor coil.
✓ Check for “temperature drop”
The biggest test to ensure your A/C is going to work on the hot days ahead is to ensure the temperature drop is where it should be. In other words that the air coming out of the unit is cooler than the air going in. We measure this to ensure proper operation.
✓ Check electrical connections
As systems run hard, wires can become loose and cause your system to shut down. Our review of these connections will help keep the system running when it’s running its hardest.
✓ Check amp and volt draw on motors and the compressor
Knowing these draws of your motors early on can help you know how well a system will perform. If they operate out of specs, you might elect to make repairs before they fail.
✓ Check condensate drain and pump
As all that warm air circulates through your evaporator coil, moisture is created. That condensation goes into your condensate pipe, the 3/4″ PVC drain that comes off your coil. Over time, dust and dirt can clog that drain line and cause leaks which can cause significant damage.
✓ Check capacitors, contactor, fuses and other electrical items
These are critical parts of your system. They channel the electrical into your air conditioner. We test the amp draws of this part to forewarn you if issues may arise.
✓ Inspect for refrigerant leaks
An air conditioner without refrigerant is like a car without gas. We’ll test your system to ensure it’s intact before you need it. If there are leaks, we’ll do our best to track them down and make repair suggestions.
✓ Inspect blower for dirt
A dirty blower will make everything work harder.
✓ Test cycle for proper operation
Once we’ve tested the system, our technician will turn it on and cycle it through its operation a few times to ensure it’s running properly. We use sophisticated digital instruments to measure and record the performance of your unit. This lets us assure you that it is running to the best of its ability
✓ Provide written report of our recommendations
Schedule Your Maintenance Today
Don’t delay in scheduling your air conditioner maintenance here in Wilmington, DE, with our Burns & McBride professionals. With spring now here, our calendar is quickly filling. Call us at tel:3022197098 or request service online today to be sure your maintenance is done before you need to use your system this year!
