Air-Conditioner Maintenance Begins With a Professional Tune-up, But It Doesn’t Stop There

If you believe that hiring an HVAC contractor is the only step involved in taking care of your annual air-conditioner maintenance, guess again. Although working with a professional is necessary, you need to do your part to keep your cooling equipment running efficiently. Here’s how you and your HVAC technician can work together to give your air conditioner the TLC it deserves.

Professional air-conditioner maintenance

During air-conditioning maintenance, you should expect your technician to perform a number of tasks including:

• Verifying the correct refrigerant charge and checking for refrigerant leaks.
• Inspecting the electrical connections.
• Lubricating the moving parts.
• Tightening loose connections.
• Verifying thermostat functionality.
• Measuring the airflow through the evaporator coil and adjusting when necessary.
• Checking the fan belts and motor for tightness and wear.
• Do-it-yourself maintenance

Here are three simple tasks that you can do yourself to promote system efficiency and longevity:

• Check the filter regularly: One of the most common causes of poor A/C performance and breakdowns is a dirty air filter. The technician who does your tune-up at the beginning of the cooling season will change the air filter. After that, you should check the filter once a month. Hold it up to the light. If you can’t see through it, change it.
• Clean the outdoor condenser unit: Many homeowners don’t give much thought to the metal box in their yards, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. It’s important to keep the unit free of grass, leaves and other debris. Hose down the unit at the beginning of the season and from time to time after that to get rid of any dirt buildup.
• Clear your vents: If any of your home’s vents or grilles are obstructed by furniture or other objects, your conditioned air won’t be able to circulate freely through your home. Move furniture, drapes and any other obstructions away from the vents.

For more tips on taking care of your cooling equipment or to schedule your professional air-conditioner maintenance, please contact us at All Temp Co., Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating. We proudly serve residents of Harrisburg and the surrounding area.