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.
Air Conditioner Maintenance Begins With Cleaning
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.
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.
Lubrication Is Critical
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.
Inspections Catch Issues Early
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! 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.
Contact us today to discuss your air conditioner’s maintenance needs.