Thursday, September 5, 2013

Routine Air Conditioning Maintenance Can Prevent Costly AC Repair

By Greg Nickels


As winter comes to an end, locals know they will only enjoy a few weeks until they will need to turn their mechanical systems in the home to cooling. Just as with automobiles, these units need regular maintenance. With regular service more expensive AC repair can often be eliminated.

Dirty Coils in a unit can prevent air flow so the unit cannot cool the home properly. Continuing to operate the cooling with dirty coils will make it work harder to cool the home and increase the cost of air conditioning. Unfortunately, the additional strain on the other parts can cause premature failure of the unit.

Air conditioners use coolant that is commonly called Freon to transfer heat. If the Freon levels are low, systems become less efficient and must work much harder. Eventually, they might not cool at all. In addition, these low coolant levels may cause the compressor to freeze and be permanently damaged.

Each time the thermostat turns on the compressor, it signals a relay switch. As this switch connects, a small electrical arc forms that can result in pitting of the contacts. Eventually these relays need to be replaced. The pitting may cause a drop in efficiency or the cooling to stop working altogether.

Air handlers pump large volumes of air through the cooling coils and into ducts. Leaks in the duct work can allow warm air from the attic to infiltrate the cooled air and reduce efficiency. In addition, particulate matter, in the form of dust, is increased and can cause coils to be more easily blocked by dirt.

One of the keys to prevent ac repair is regular maintenance. Small problems can be discovered and fixed before the unit fails. Having the unit inspected and maintained is a key to efficient operation.




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