Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Routine Cooling System Maintenance Helps Prevent Costly AC Repair

By Melissa Wilson


When the warmer days of spring arrive, residents know they only have a few weeks before they need to turn on their air conditioning to remain comfortable in a home. Just like with an automobile, regular maintenance for these cooling systems is the best way to keep them working correctly. Maintenance can prevent much more expensive needs for AC repair.

Dirty Coils in a unit can prevent air flow so the unit cannot cool the home properly. Continuing to operate the cooling with dirty coils will make it work harder to cool the home and increase the cost of air conditioning. Unfortunately, the additional strain on the other parts can cause premature failure of the unit.

Cooling systems use a coolant, commonly referred to as Freon to cool the home. If the level of coolant is low, the system begins to lose efficiency and must work harder. Eventually, the system may not cool at all. Low coolant levels can also cause the AC to freeze up and destroy the compressor.

Every time the thermostat turns on the compressor, the electrical contacts make a small arc, that over time causes pitting. Eventually this switch must be replaced as it no longer allows proper completion of the circuit. In some instances, if the pitting continues, the system may no longer operate to provide cooling at all.

Air handlers pump large volumes of air through the cooling coils and into ducts. Leaks in the duct work can allow warm air from the attic to infiltrate the cooled air and reduce efficiency. In addition, particulate matter, in the form of dust, is increased and can cause coils to be more easily blocked by dirt.

One of the keys to keep systems working well is regular maintenance. Most owners prefer to pay for inexpensive ac repair of small problems discovered in regular maintenance instead of expensive ones from system failure. Annual maintenance can ensure efficient operation for many years in the future.




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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Yes routine maintenance is very necessary. Have a certified technician check your system’s Freon levels, lubricate moving parts, and ensure electrical connections are not corroded. Spending a small amount of money for routine maintenance however will mean no large repair bills down the road.

Harrell Home Services