Spring Cleaning for Your Air Conditioning System: Why You Should Service Your Unit Before the Summer
Spring peepers are out and making a little noise in the early mornings and late afternoons. Trees are just starting to leaf out. Flowers are starting to fill the landscape with vibrant color. Summer is on the way.
Now that you can open windows to let in fresh air, it’s the ideal time for spring cleaning. Spring cleaning season is the best time to have your air conditioning system serviced. We at Air Blue advise doing it now and not waiting until you turn it on to combat summer’s heat. Why now?
Timing Is Everything
If you ask an AC technician when peak AC repairs and installations occur, they usually say February, March, and April are relatively dead. Things slowly start to pick up in May, and by July, Chicago-area AC technicians are working pretty much non-stop. If you wait to have your AC system serviced in late June or July, you could face frustrating delays.
Imagine waking up on a hot, humid morning to learn your AC stopped running overnight. You’re dripping sweat, the air inside your home or office is stifling, and the technician you use can’t get to you until tomorrow. If you insist on immediate service, you’re going to pay costly emergency rates. Can you tolerate being uncomfortable for a day or longer, or are you willing to pay a lot more for an emergency appointment?
When you have your system inspected and cleaned before you need it, any issues that require repair are taken care of before your AC is turned on. If any parts are backordered, you don’t have to worry about how to handle the heat during the wait. Your system’s fixed before you need it. That’s just one reason pre-summer air conditioning cleaning and servicing is so important.
Detect Problems Before They Damage Your AC System’s Components
Sometimes, a minor issue can become a major one if it goes ignored. For example, that soft bang or clunk you keep hearing could be a loose component. If the bolt or screw holding it in place finally falls out and the loose component flies into the neighboring part, you could end up with multiple parts to replace or repair.
You keep hearing a squeal during certain points of your air conditioner’s cycle. It could be a worn belt. If you don’t fix it now and the belt snaps, your system isn’t going to run until a new belt and any other damaged components are replaced. If your AC system is older, it might take time to get the right parts, so you’ll be without your AC for days or even weeks.
Extend Your Central AC System’s Lifespan
A well-maintained AC system lasts longer. When parts are properly cleaned and lubricated, filters are changed regularly, and components are tested to ensure they’re functioning properly, you get more life out of your air conditioner.
As a rule of thumb, most central AC units last no more than 20 years. If you’re not arranging regular tune-ups, it’s not surprising to see a system fail before 15 years. Save money on frequent replacements by making sure your system is cleaned and inspected each year.
Gain Peace of Mind and Reduce Potential Stress
Sometimes, an AC tune-up is more for you than your system. Sure, maintenance of your AC ensures it’s running well, but it also eases your stress. You’re not worried about whether it’s going to make it through a heat wave because you failed to have it cleaned this year.
Improve Your System’s Performance and Energy Consumption
When you have your central AC inspected and cleaned each year, it works correctly. This reduces your energy consumption as it’s running when it’s needed and not failing to turn off or letting a room get too warm. If an AC isn’t running efficiently, a room may become too warm, leading to you turning your thermostat down.
Dirty coils reduce energy efficiency by as much as 21%. A dirty filter reduces energy efficiency by as much as 15%. Keep your filter clean and make sure coils are clean, and you can save hundreds of dollars every year, depending on the size of your system and the amount of time it runs.
Maintain Optimal Air Quality
An air conditioner keeps your home cool, but it does so much more. Removing excess humidity from the air helps keep mold and mildew from forming. It also keeps dust mites away because they seek humidity. Ideally, dust mites thrive when a home’s humidity is over 50%. AC maintains lower humidity levels, which is important if you suffer from dust mite allergies.
The air filter in your vents also helps clean the air of dirt, dust, mold spores, pet hair, and other contaminants. When your AC runs efficiently, your home’s air quality improves.
Protect Your AC Warranty
Finally, if you take the time to read all the fine print in your warranty paperwork, you’ll see that there’s usually a rule about it being your responsibility to have your system cleaned and maintained by a licensed AC technician. If you fail to have an AC professional maintain your AC, you void the warranty.
As many systems offer a 10-year limited parts warranty, you want to do everything that’s required of you to ensure the warranty is valid. Take Carrier for example. You get a 10-year parts-only warranty or a 5-year parts and 3-year labor warranty on qualifying HVAC equipment. A valid warranty requires:
- The AC system to be registered within 90 days of installation.
- A licensed HVAC technician installed the AC system.
- The AC system is used properly and maintained regularly as instructed in the owner’s manual, which includes proper lubrication, filter cleanings or replacements, and only approved parts can be used for maintenance and repair.
- The electrical system is to be in proper working order, meaning no blown fuses or power interruptions.
- Damage cannot be from lightning, fires, or floods.
Schedule Pre-Summer AC Maintenance Now
Pre-summer maintenance of a central air conditioning unit is more than a good idea, it’s the best way to protect your investment. With one simple maintenance appointment, an AC technician reduces the risk of having your AC stop working on the hottest day of the year. Once summer hits and AC breakdowns increase, it’s harder to get immediate repairs from a qualified AC technician.
Avoid increased electricity bills, poor indoor air quality, and mid-summer breakdowns by arranging air conditioner cleaning and maintenance services from Air Blue. Pick a date and time using the online scheduler or call (847) 450-7366 to have a technician service your AC before summer arrives.
