Your air conditioner works tirelessly throughout the summer to keep you and your family comfortable inside. However, if you don’t take proper care of it, you might find yourself sweating indoors on a hot day until the repairman can arrive. Preventative maintenance is one of the easiest ways you can avoid expensive repairs or breakdowns on a hot day. What are some repairs that can be avoided with proper AC maintenance?
Low Coolant Levels
Air conditioners require liquid coolant to properly work. This coolant must be topped up regularly to ensure that the air-conditioning unit can work properly. If you have low coolant levels, you might notice your air conditioner slowly start to put out air that is warmer and warmer. This is a sign that the unit is needing to work harder and that your coolant levels might be low.
Short Lifespan
Air conditioning units are a major investment, and most homeowners don’t want to replace a system more often than necessary. If you find that your air conditioning units have surprisingly short lifespans below 10 years, it’s a sign that you might need to invest more in maintenance. The more you take care of your air conditioner, the longer it will last. This is particularly true in hot areas of the country where the unit is on almost constantly in the summer.
Bad Air Quality
Many families are so concerned about the air quality outside of the home that they forget what they are breathing indoors can be even more important. If you notice that there is a lot of dust in the air, you are experiencing allergies, or you have cold-like symptoms, it’s a sign that you might have poor indoor air quality. Proper air conditioner maintenance includes swapping out the air filter. The air filter prevents dust, debris, hair, and dander from re-circulating through your vents.
Damaged Compressor
One of the most expensive air conditioning repairs that you might need is replacing or repairing the compressor. Throughout a single summer, the compressor inside of your air conditioner undergoes a large amount of stress. If it is not properly maintained and parts are not replaced in a timely fashion, the motor may start to overheat and the unit might be permanently compromised and need to be replaced.
Frosty Evaporator Coil
If your air conditioner is properly maintained, you should virtually never notice ice or condensation building up on the outside. If you have visible ice on the outside of the evaporator coil, you must immediately turn off the unit and call for assistance. The coil will be thawed, and other maintenance will be done to make sure that the problem does not happen again. In some cases, this is an easy repair, like replacing the air filter.
Leaks
Many homeowners notice water in the basement or around the house and assume that it is coming from a pipe only to learn that the air conditioner is what is actually leaking. As condensation collects in the coil and drains outside, the drain may become clogged with debris and other residues. As a result, the water will accumulate inside your home. During regular maintenance, your HVAC technician will clean out the drain to prevent backups and leaks.
Broken Fan Motors
The outdoor portion of your air conditioner uses a fan to get rid of hot air. As debris like leaves and grass clippings enter the outdoor unit, it can lead to damage and decreased performance. One sign that something is stuck in the outdoor portion of the unit is a whirring sound or clanging. If you have regular maintenance performed on your system, the HVAC technician will take care of removing debris for you to save you from needing to replace a fan or fan motor.
Let Hoot keep your air conditioner running smoothly! Call 443-309-8420 today to schedule your preventative maintenance ahead of the warm weather!
