Tips to Keep Your Air Conditioner Running Smoothly
Summary:
Regular AC maintenance is important to keep your air conditioner running smoothly. Proper AC maintenance benefits include improved air quality, energy efficiency, cost savings, and longer lifespan.
Taking care of your air conditioner does not just involve cleaning the air filter or ensuring the exterior parts are clean. You must schedule regular professional checkups with HVAC specialists, check your thermostat, inspect the condensate drains, and clean the AC coils.
Even after extensive maintenance, you might need to follow up with repairing or replacing bad components. At this point, you should leave the work to a reliable HVAC contractor like Orange County’s Klondike Air.
Klondike Air is certified for all HVAC brands and is better positioned to advise you on maintenance tips, servicing schedules, and optimizing your AC for energy savings. Contact Klondike Air for more information on AC maintenance and servicing.
Table of Contents
Regular AC maintenance will not only prolong the lifespan of your air conditioner but also save you money that would have been spent on energy bills or buying a new air conditioner when the current one breaks down.
As a homeowner, some aspects of air conditioner maintenance are within your capabilities. However, if you intend to use your AC for a long time, you will need to depend on specialists like Klondike Air for more exhaustive maintenance.
In this article, you will learn some tips to keep your air conditioner running smoothly, identify common issues in air conditioners, and when to call a professional.
Let’s begin.
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Introduction to Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are digital devices that control your home’s heating and cooling system, just like regular thermostats. Unlike regular thermostats, smart thermostats have intelligent learning algorithms that adjust your home temperature to your preferred levels.
However, the functions of smart thermostats go beyond energy control. The smart home thermostat will help you optimize your energy usage, freeing energy for other appliances and helping you save more money.
Smart thermostats can also generate reports on temperature and energy usage. They will alert you when home appliances malfunction or the temperature rises and falls. These reports can make HVAC maintenance easier for professionals.
In addition, you can control your smart thermostats from your mobile device or with voice commands. They also have built-in WiFi, which makes them compatible with existing home systems.
Benefits of Proper Air Conditioner Maintenance
Your air conditioner is an important component of your home’s HVAC system. It keeps your home’s temperature cool and comfortable in the summer.
A well-maintained air conditioner will contribute to a healthy lifestyle by removing dust, dirt, and polluted air, which can exacerbate allergies or trigger asthmatic symptoms.
Here are more benefits of AC maintenance:
- Improved air quality: air conditioner maintenance involves cleaning the coils, condenser, and air filters to ensure dust, dirt, and pollen don’t enter your home.
- Boosting energy efficiency: a properly maintained air conditioner operates at optimal efficiency, which means it will only use the energy it needs and nothing more. This will save you from hefty energy bills.
- Saving money: Regularly servicing your air conditioner will reduce your energy bills and fix minor issues before they become major and expensive problems.
- Longer lifespan: regularly servicing your air conditioner will ensure it lasts long, saving you high repair or replacement costs.
Essential AC Maintenance Tips
If you want to ensure that your air conditioner lasts a long time, operates optimally, and keeps your home safe from polluted air, then you need to follow these maintenance tips:
1. Regular Cleaning of the Air Filters
Air filters are one of the most essential components of an air conditioner. They keep dirt out and ensure your home is well-ventilated, keeping the airflow within the accepted level. However, when these filters are clogged with dirt, their efficiency is severely affected, and so is the airflow.
Additionally, when airflow is obstructed, dirt can bypass the filter and deposit itself on the coils, affecting the system’s heat-absorbing capacity. The consequence is that the air conditioner uses twice as much energy to operate at sub-optimal level.
The long-term effect would be the eventual breakdown of the system and costly repairs or replacement costs. To avoid this, you must regularly clean your AC filters.
2. Clean the Air Conditioner Coils
Air conditioner coils help with heat absorption and temperature regulation in your home. However, because the coils are often outside and exposed to dirt, the dirt and dust insulate them and affect their ability to absorb heat over time.
To prevent this from happening, it is vital that you always check your air system coils for dirt and dust. You should also keep the surrounding area free of leaves and other substances that might enter the AC system.
3. Inspect and Clean the Condensate Drain
It might not look like much, but the condensate drain is an essential feature of your air conditioning system. When you run your AC, water collected from the air will need a way to leave your home; the condensate drain is the path it takes.
However, because the condensate drain is located outdoors, it can easily be clogged with leaves, dirt, debris, and more. If this happens, the water will sit in the drain pan and slowly evaporate, increasing the humidity in your home and making it uncomfortable for your family.
To prevent this from happening, you must inspect and clean the condensate drain regularly. The process is relatively simple, but you can also book a professional AC cleaning service at Klondike Air.
4. Clear Debris Around the Outdoor Unit
Debris and dirt are the mortal enemies of an air conditioning system. If dirt gets inside the outdoor AC unit, it will affect its performance and airflow. The air system will eventually break down if the dirt is not removed.
To keep your air conditioner working at optimal levels, you must keep the area around the outdoor unit clear of debris.
5. Schedule Professional Maintenance
Most times, AC service is best left in the hands of HVAC specialists. Klondike Air is Orange County’s top air conditioner servicing expert. The company offers several services, including:
- AC repair
- Air conditioning and installation
- Indoor air quality/ purification
- AC tune-up
Hiring a specialist to handle AC maintenance ensures you never have to worry about an emergency breakdown. Additionally, minor issues noticed during servicing will be fixed. And our Gold Club is perfect for this!
6. Regular Thermostat Checks
Check your thermostat regularly for temperature reports. Turn off or turn down the air conditioner on days when it is not needed so the system is well-rested. This will also help you conserve energy and ensure longevity.
Air Conditioner Repair and Troubleshooting
Despite your maintenance efforts, your air conditioner might still encounter issues that require repair. You must identify when a professional is needed and when you can take care of the issue yourself.
1. Identifying Common AC Issues
Air conditioners may experience various issues during your use. Therefore, it is crucial that you can identify common AC issues. The following are some common AC issues you can quickly identify:
- Refrigerant leak: if you notice your AC is not blowing cold air or you have high energy bills, it may be time to check it for refrigerant leaks. A refrigerant leak might cause other problems, so you should get a professional to look before it worsens.
- Frozen coil: this can happen when your air conditioner does not receive enough air to operate. A frozen coil might be caused by a refrigerant leak or dirty filters reducing the airflow.
- AC not turning on: there are many reasons for your AC not turning on. It could be dead thermostat batteries or a wrong thermostat setting. It could also be an internal failure, which would require the services of a professional HVAC contractor.
- Weak airflow: your air conditioner will only blow cold air if the air filters are clean or the condenser is blocked. You must inspect and clean or replace the air filters every three months.
- Compressor: a damaged compressor usually results in weak airflow or the AC not cooling properly. Dirty air filters or a frozen coil are common causes of a damaged compressor. Proper maintenance will prevent this.
2. When to Call for Professional Help
It is always wise to get professional help for your emergency AC service. An experienced HVAC contractor has the tools and expertise to diagnose and make repairs without compromising other parts of the system.
So, if you notice a strange sound coming from your air conditioner or leaks in the outdoor unit, you should seek assistance from a professional. Klondike Air is Orange County’s most trusted, licensed, insured, and bonded HVAC contractor
Preventative Measures for Long-Term Efficiency
The following are preventive measures you keep your air conditioner running smoothly:
1. Regular AC Maintenance Schedule
Your air conditioner is like a car engine; it requires regular servicing to operate efficiently. If you want your AC to last, you should set up regular maintenance schedules with a reliable HVAC contractor.
Regular AC service includes:
- Inspecting and cleaning the air filter
- Inspecting interior and exterior components
- Checking the refrigerant
- Clearing the drainage pipes
- Check the thermostat
- Tighten all electrical connection
- Cleaning the coil
While some of the items in the checklist may seem simple, others would require the services of an HVAC maintenance specialist.
2. Energy Efficiency Tips
The air conditioner is one of the most expensive components in the HVAC system, especially concerning energy bills. Now imagine having to keep it on all day in the summer. Here are some tips for making your air conditioner energy efficient and keeping your energy bills low:
- Regular maintenance: this will keep your air conditioner in top form and ensure it only uses the energy needed to perform optimally. Maintenance tune-ups will also fix minor issues that can cause the AC to consume too much power.
- Use smart thermostats: smart thermostats are a new technology that can help you save on energy bills. They use advanced intelligence to learn your tastes and tailor the temperature to fit them at all times. They also give you remote control access in case the AC is on while you’re not at home.
- Change air filters: air filters are a crucial component of your AC. Dirty air filters will affect airflow and make the air conditioner work twice as hard to provide good ventilation to your home.
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Conclusion
We are writing this during the peak of summer in Orange County, and your air conditioners are already working all day to keep you comfortable. The tips in this article will help you ensure the system is running smoothly and allow you to notice potential issues that require maintenance.
Klondike Air offers all first-time callers free home health, safety, and comfort inspections. Take this opportunity to improve your home’s air quality and increase your air conditioner’s lifespan. Contact Klondike Air now for immediate AC maintenance.
FAQs
How do I keep my air conditioner in good condition?
To keep your air conditioner in good condition, you should perform regular thermostat checks, schedule professional maintenance, clean or replace the air filters, and clear the AC coils.
When should I call a professional for my air conditioner?
You should consult a professional before making any changes or repairs to your air conditioner.
What maintenance is needed for AC?
The most important maintenance for your air conditioner is cleaning or repairing your air filters before the cooling season. This tip will improve energy efficiency and the quality of airflow.
What are the benefits of servicing an air conditioner?
Without regular maintenance, your air conditioner will become less efficient, increasing your energy bills. When it breaks down, you may also incur high costs of repair or replacement.
What is the benefit of preventive maintenance in the AC plant?
Preventive maintenance for air conditioners offers benefits such as an extended lifespan, energy savings, improved air quality, and cost savings.
