How often should you service your ACs?

With the summer season going on, people have already started looking for new air conditioners (ACs) and the maintenance of their old units. These are some of the problems that a skilled AC servicing professional can prevent with a thorough inspection and AC preventative maintenance. One service call in the initial days of summer can save you from those dreaded breakdowns on the hottest days of the season. Regular servicing of ACs not only enhances the life of a unit but also helps in proper cooling, without compromising on comfort.

However, the ACs units are well-engineered products that require specialized skills and knowledge of installation as well as maintenance. In fact, as a standard practice, the installation process needs to foresee accessibility for maintenance and service of the ACs. Getting your equipment tuned up and ready for the hot days ahead with AC preventative maintenance is imperative not only for your comfort and peace of mind but also for the reliability and longevity of your system.

Here, the key is not only to buy a high-efficiency, star-rated AC but to follow the necessary services schedule. In absence of servicing, the efficiency of the unit starts to decline with regular usage. And summers demand constant load. Hence, overlooking the maintenance of ACs can lead to numerous issues including ineffective cooling, higher energy consumption, and electrical hazards in some cases. This may otherwise lead to cost-overruns too.

What could be the problems?

Dirty coils of your ACs can lead to the accumulation of moulds and mildew, resulting in poor indoor air quality.  

Moreover, dirty filters do not filter out pollens, allergens, and other airborne particles that already exist in our households. Such particles enter our homes through the air and are the cause of indoor air pollution. A blocked condenser will, therefore, prevent the heat transfer thereby raising the condenser temperature. 

There may be some other issues as well including a slow functioning thermostat, power malfunction, and leaks. Due to all these reasons, it is always advisable to go for preventive maintenance instead of reactive maintenance of ACs. It not only saves one’s time but also the repair expenses in the long run. Hence, there is a need to understand why we need to opt for preventive maintenance. Here are some factors that favour the idea of preventive maintenance of ACs:

* Saving more on bills & minimizing electricity consumption: Preventive maintenance from all sides leads to cost-saving in the medium to long term. It acts as a guard for the ACs, thereby informing us about any issue way before it becomes a costly repair. A company maintenance warranty ensures that all kinds of necessary repairs are covered. This prevents expenses incurred on annual maintenance. The small investments in regular maintenance of ACs are worth more than paying breakdown repairs. Preventive maintenance helps in improving the efficiency of the AC. It cleans and systematically tests various components of the system. This has the potential to extend the lifespan of the ACs, thereby putting off system replacement costs. This would ultimately lead to lower energy consumption.

* Prevention from expensive Equipment repairs: Preventive maintenance also plays an important role in avoiding unexpected AC repairs. A skilled AC service professional will often spot the problem areas in preventive maintenance, rectify and repair faulty systems and equipment at cheaper rates. This not only saves the owner from expensive repairs but also detects the problem areas way before it arrives. Hence, it is advisable to have an equipment check at least twice a year.

* Improving Indoor Air Quality: A well-functioning AC will keep indoor air quality higher. It will filter out all the contaminants present in the surroundings leaving behind fresh air to breathe. One should keep a regular check on their ACs. The more efficient the system, the higher your air quality will be.

* Safety and well-being: It's one of the most stressed reasons among all. Giving safety and security to the family and home is of utmost importance. Preventive maintenance does it all. It also helps to protect your indoors from leakages and unwanted electrical hazards. The technician will test for gas leakage and cross-examine all the electrical components that might be harmful to your family. It also prevents malfunctions in extreme temperatures.

* Emphasizing Regular Maintenance: One should consider regular maintenance of ACs at least once before the commencement of summers and once during winters. These maintenance checks include things such as entire unit clean-up, cleaning of air filters, air ducts inspection, check on normal wear and tear, refrigerant levels inspection, thermostat functioning, electrical wiring, and others.

Above all, regular maintenance ensures a longer lifespan for your ACs, better cooling, and more savings. If the AC unit is within warranty, a certain number of service maintenance comes for free. But those outside the warranty will need some spending. And the nominal cost of maintenance will help you save more in the long run.

Why Preventive Maintenance is necessary?

Air Conditioners are machines. As any machine needs maintenance, air conditioning maintenance is necessary for the machine to function properly over time. This is especially true to increase the longevity of the air conditioner. However, there are special conditions when the servicing professional will recommend air conditioning maintenance on a more frequent schedule.

If the unit is not in a suitable area, then the performance of the equipment will be affected. Performance is the other important reason air conditioner maintenance is necessary.

Air conditioners that do not receive regular maintenance will break down more often. Additionally, the air conditioner will use more energy to operate. Finally, the lifespan of the equipment will be reduced. Therefore, air conditioning maintenance must be scheduled at least annually. By doing so you will extend the life and increase the performance of your air conditioning system. Furthermore, this also results in fewer repair bills.