Why You Should Hire A HVAC Professional for AC Maintenance

However, like any other mechanical device, an air conditioner and its many components require some basic cleaning and maintenance to continue operating at its best. If it’s been more than a few years since your last AC unit cleaning (or you can’t remember ever having them cleaned) then it’s probably time for a clean. Chances are that you’ve neglected your biannual spring and fall checkups on your AC unit.

Your AC isn’t cooling nearly, as well as it could be. Well there could be, a year’s worth of dirt and debris clogging the cooling fins, a low coolant level, a dirty blower fan filter and several other simple issues can reduce the efficiency of your AC condenser and wear it out faster.  And by keeping your AC maintained, you’ll not only save money on energy, but you’ll also extend its lifespan, saving money on costly early replacement. There’s nothing quite as refreshing as stepping into a cool, comfortable home on a hot, humid summer day.

Let’s explain that your HVAC system will consist of either a furnace and AC or a heat pump, which both heats and cools. Both types will have an interior unit (evaporator and blower, which absorbs heat and humidity from inside the home or building) and an exterior unit (condenser coil and compressor, which releases the excess heat from home or building to the outdoors). If either are not turning in peak performance, it could be the reason for your AC not cooling your home.

Also, this is a very basic explanation of the cleaning of the AC unit. However, a good professional service will be much more thorough, and this type of service will improve efficiency greatly within the AC unit. Choosing a licensed professional from Elite Heating and Air Conditioning improves your chances on you enjoying comfortable, satisfying indoor air for many seasons to come.

What you’re probably most concerned about is your comfort. When your AC coils are dirty, your AC won’t do a good job of keeping you comfy.

This problem is caused by the condenser coils, they usually are about the size of a large garbage can, but they can also be as small as a bucket or as huge as a refrigerator. The metal fins help transfer heat to the outside air. These tubes carry the hot refrigerant, this gives off heat as it condenses. When these coils are covered in dirt, heat gets trapped inside these condenser coils. The evaporator coils will have difficulty absorbing the heat. This results in poor heat transfer. The AC is now lowering the efficiency of the cooling cycles and making the unit run longer, hotter, and with more pressure in order to produce an adequate cooling level in your home or office environment.

The system will struggle to reach the set temperatures and remove humidity from the air. You will notice a drop-in air quality and you will feel sticky air in your home. Remember, too much humidity can promote the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria in your home or office. Making the system work harder than intended and can result in shorter system life and potentially expensive repair bills.

If you have an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) maintenance plan in place, you’re already doing the best thing possible to minimize your air conditioner repairs. Be comfortable knowing with Elite Heating and Air Conditioning licensed HVAC and Trane professionals, they inspect your coils on every visit to ensure they are clean and clear from any leaks, change the filters, and test the system to make sure it is functioning properly each and every time.

However, your responsibility as a homeowner is to change your inside AC filter monthly or when the manufacturer requires you to do so. Then you must take care of the outside unit, most outdoor air conditioning units have grilles to protect them from the outdoor elements. However, you will need to make sure to keep the area surrounding the AC unit clear from debris, dirt, twigs, or leaves.

If you are not comfortable doing the following, that’s why we recommend using a licensed HVAC technician for regular cleaning of your AC unit.

• First, they must remove the front panel and bar from the top of unit, if applicable.
• Then, they straighten the bent cooling fins with a fin comb. Technicians must wear leather gloves to prevent from receiving any kind of nasty cuts from the metal grates. AC’s work more efficiently when the evaporator and condenser coils or cooling fins are clean from clogs and the fins are straight.
• Next, they vacuum all the visible buildup and debris from the coils. Clear any clogs in the AC drain line, if something has been stopping it up!
• After that, they apply a commercial foam cleaner over the entire surface of the coils to remove any heavy buildup or debris.
• During this time, they service the fan motor by cleaning the fan blades and adding any electric motor oil to the parts of the unit.
• Lastly, replacing the inside air filter and vacuuming any buildup or debris around the inside air intake. The filter does a decent job of keeping most of the dust out of your AC’s internal parts. However, those finer dust particles can pass through the filter and collect on the coils. If a layer of dust becomes thick enough, this dust can hinder the unit’s cooling capabilities and even cause it to stop working and seize up.

WARNING: NEVER WORK ON LIVE ELECTRONICS AND NOT ALL UNITS ARE THE SAME. THIS IS WHY A LICENSED HVAC PROFESSIONAL IS NEEDED.

Preventative maintenance can help improve its performance, efficiency, longevity, and reliability. As well as removing any harmful dust and mold that may be entering your home. Preventive maintenance saves money, but it’s not about money as much as it is about time.  Don’t lose time dealing with repairs that could have been prevented with proper maintenance!

Call now to schedule your service appointment at (512) 637-4237.