Annual Air Conditioner Maintenance can help save money on your energy bills, avoid costly breakdowns and keep your air clean!
When air conditioning equipment is not maintained properly, your energy costs can increase by as much as 20 percent. Regular maintenance is essential to keep your system operating properly and failing to maintain the system can shorten its life. You wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without changing the oil. The same logic holds true for your home comfort system. Regular A/C preventative maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance. Pre-season maintenance is also important. It can help to avoid a system failure in severely hot weather when you need it most, and it can also keep your energy bill from getting out of control.
Peak Performance with an Air Conditioner Maintenance Plan
Regular maintenance can save money on your energy bills. Dirt on the A/C evaporator coil increases energy costs by about 5%, dirty furnace blower wheels reduce air flow by 30%, and when the refrigerant in an air conditioner is undercharged, it can reduce the efficiency by half. In addition, problems can be caught early and furnace repair or air conditioning repairs can be completed before the problem gets bigger.
Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance Checklist
You wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without changing the oil. The same logic holds true for your home comfort system. Regular A/C preventive maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance. Annual maintenance is also important and should be done in the spring. It can help to avoid a system failure in severely hot weather when you need it most, and it can also keep your energy bill from getting out of control.
Outdoor Unit Checklist:
- Inspect unit for proper refrigerant level and adjust if necessary
- Clean dirt, leaves and debris from inside cabinet
- Inspect base pan for restricted drain openings—remove obstructions as necessary
- Inspect coil and cabinet—clean as needed
- Inspect fan motor and fan blades for wear and damage—on older models lubricate as needed
- Inspect control box, associated controls/accessories, wiring and connections. Controls may include contactors, relays, circuit boards, capacitors, sump heat and other accessories. All control box and electrical parts should be checked for wear or damage.
- Inspect compressor and associated tubing for damage
Indoor Unit Checklist:
- Inspect and clean blower assembly (includes blower housing, blower wheel, and motor)
- On older models, lubricate motor and inspect and replace fan belt if needed
- Check blower housing for lint and debris and clean as necessary
- Inspect evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain lines. Clean as needed
- Inspect ignition system and safety controls—clean and adjust as needed
- Inspect the control box, associated controls, wiring, and connections
- Clean or replace air filters
- Inspect conditioned airflow system (ductwork)—check for leaks
While Your System is Operating
- Monitor system starting characteristics and capabilities
- Listen for abnormal noise
- Search for source of unusual odors
- Monitor air conditioning for correct refrigerant charge
- Measure outdoor dry bulb temperature
- Measure indoor dry and wet bulb temperature
- Measure high and low side system pressures
- Measure temperature rise and adjust airflow as needed
- Check vent system for proper operation
- Monitor system for correct line and load volts/amps
- Monitor system operation per manufacturer’s specifications
- Provide system operation report and recommend repairs or replacement as necessary
