You’ve been told that air conditioners require maintenance. You probably know that it should be done every year, and that most people have it done in the spring, just before the air conditioner needs to be in good condition to take on the heavy summer workload.
But why does an AC unit require annual maintenance? What will happen if you don’t have it done? Serious AC troubles can result. Here’s what we mean.
Common AC Problems from Poor Maintenance
- Clogged filters and dirty coils: Block airflow, making the system strain and overheat.
- Water damage: Clogged drain lines cause leaks and mold growth.
- Increased wear and early failure: Unchecked parts wear out faster.
- Reduced efficiency and higher bills: Dirt forces the system to use more energy.
Cleaning: The First Step in AC Maintenance
The first step when a qualified technician comes to maintain your AC unit is a thorough cleaning. This removes all the dust and dirt that has accumulated from last summer’s work and the winter’s disuse. Common AC issues from poor cleaning include overheating, motor burnout, and airflow restrictions.
What AC problems can occur from this dirt? For one thing, bits of grit can work their way between moving parts. This can scratch and damage the parts and cause wear to all sorts of components. Also, blankets of dust act like insulation. They keep heat in, so components like the blower fan motor can easily overheat and burn out. Sometimes the wiring actually fuses together from heat.
The other thing that needs cleaning is the condensate pan, where moisture is caught so it can be safely drained away from your home. If that’s left covered with algae, mold, or bacteria, the drain can clog. Water will back up in your home. The smell will be terrible. The system will shut off automatically to prevent overflow or, if it fails to, you’ll have water damage in your walls.
Why Lubricating AC Parts Matters
Wear and tear and overheating can also be caused simply by the friction of unlubricated moving parts. It’s essential to have fresh grease applied every spring to prevent this. That friction can lead to high electric bills when your system has to work harder to get the job done, and even damage to the compressor, which is the single most expensive component in your AC unit. Why your AC costs more now is often due to increased stress from neglected maintenance.
How Early Inspections Prevent Major AC Problems
Your technician will take a very close look at every single component in your air conditioner, now that all the dust has been cleaned away and all the parts are clearly visible. It’s common for small things to be slightly out of position, askew, or loose. This happens because of the continual vibration of the air conditioner. These issues can be put right during maintenance.
If these concerns aren’t caught at the start of the season, you’ll run your air conditioner, not realizing something is wrong. A loose screw or wobbly fan blade might come free as the vibration continues. Not only has that problem gotten worse, the part may have damaged other components as it flew off! Short cycling and early AC failure are common outcomes when routine inspections are skipped. Now you need serious AC repair in Shreveport, LA.
Routine maintenance, performed each year at the start of the season, can prevent small issues from worsening. It will decrease the wear and tear caused by regular operation. It will help you avoid friction and overheating. And it will keep your electric bill from rising due to inefficient AC performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What types of internal damage can occur when AC maintenance is neglected?
Answer: Dirt and debris can scratch and wear internal parts, cause overheating, and degrade wiring connections. Over time this leads to premature component failure and more frequent breakdowns.
Question: How can clogged drain lines affect my home?
Answer: If condensate drain lines are blocked by algae or mold, water can back up and leak. This can cause water damage, mold growth, and may trigger the system to shut off to prevent overflow.
Question: Why is lubrication important, and what happens without it?
Answer: Lubrication reduces friction among moving parts. Without it, parts wear faster, motors strain, energy use spikes, and critical components like the compressor can be damaged.
Question: What kinds of small issues do inspections during maintenance catch early?
Answer: During maintenance, technicians can spot loose screws, misaligned parts, worn bolts, or early signs of failing components. Fixing these early prevents them from damaging other parts under full load operation.
Question: How does neglecting maintenance lead to higher energy bills?
Answer: When filters, coils, and internal parts are dirty, airflow is restricted and the system must work harder. That inefficiency causes increased energy consumption and higher utility bills.
Contact us today to discuss your air conditioner’s maintenance needs.
