We place a special emphasis on regular air conditioning maintenance during the spring. There’s no better way to protect your investment in your HVAC equipment and ensure a long service life. Maintenance also helps keep your air conditioning system running at high efficiency and with reduced chances of breaking down suddenly during a hot day.
We’d like to explain in more detail exactly why maintenance is so essential. To do that, we’re going to list some of the ways that lack of maintenance creates trouble for an air conditioner. Explaining to people that “wear and tear” is bad news for an AC only tells part of the story. Actually showing people what this wear and tear is and what it does gets to the heart of the necessity of annual air conditioning system maintenance.
What Can Go Wrong with an Unmaintained AC
- Refrigerant leaks: Modern air conditioning systems use copper for refrigerant lines, a metal that is corrosion-resistant. But this isn’t the same as corrosion-proof, and there’s a specific type of corrosion from formaldehyde in household air that can weaken the lines and allow refrigerant to leak. AC systems around 4 to 5 years old are most vulnerable to this occurring. It’s not easy to notice a slow loss of refrigerant at first, but it’s one of the major things we check during maintenance. If we discover a drop in refrigerant charge, we’ll fix the leaks and recharge the system to its proper levels.
- Clogged condensate drain: The water moisture that forms along an AC’s evaporator coils drips into a shallow pan and then exits through a drain. During maintenance, our technicians will check on both the condensate pan and the drain to make sure the water flows freely out of the system. Without maintenance, it’s more likely for clogging to start in the drain, and if the condensate pan overflows, the air conditioner will shut off. This can also create water damage in your house.
- Corroded wiring: The refrigerant lines aren’t the only part of an air conditioner that can start to suffer from corrosion. Wiring connections may also rust, leading to a non-functioning system. Technicians always check on electrical connections and tighten them during maintenance.
- Burnt-out motors: Motors power the fans and the compressor in an air conditioner, and unless they’re regularly checked, cleaned, and lubricated, they’re in danger of developing enough mechanical stress that they burn out. As part of a regular inspection for an air conditioner, we check all the moving parts and clean or lubricate the motors as needed.
We want to make maintenance as simple and beneficial as possible for our customers, and that’s why we offer our Ultimate Service Agreement. When you sign up, you’ll receive two seasonal tune-ups per year (cooling in spring, heating in fall) plus other benefits such as preferred customer status and discounts on repairs. It’s convenient as well: we’ll call you when it’s time for your next appointment.
Get started with your HVAC maintenance in Madera, CA and the surrounding areas. We’re here 7 days a week to help.
Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has served the Central Valley since 1952.