You can get the most out of your air conditioning by performing annual maintenance.
Your HVAC system is one of the most significant investments in your home. Without air conditioning, there’s no way you’d make it through those hot summers. Accordingly, you must protect your investment.
An HVAC maintenance plan will also make sure that your manufacturer’s warranties remain valid. Also, you can avoid frequent breakdowns and costly repairs by taking care of your HVAC system.
To do this, you have two alternatives. You can hire a contractor to do your maintenance for you, or you can do it yourself.
Creating an HVAC Maintenance Plan for Your Home
A do-it-yourself air conditioner maintenance plan has several steps. Basic maintenance isn’t hard. It’s not something that you need to hire someone to do.
Also, a contractor cannot service your compressor. If they do, they could void your factory warranty.
Some companies sell you reassurance, rather than service. They sell you HVAC maintenance agreements, knowing that what customers are really buying is a sense of security.
In reality, however, you’ll rarely need to service your air conditioner if you perform basic maintenance, and basic maintenance is relatively easy.
In other words, you’ll spend more on a service plan compared to calling a maintenance specialist in the rare instance that something goes wrong with your air conditioner. As for the do-it-yourself maintenance plan, you’ll want to service your air conditioner as follows:
- Every three months – replace air conditioner filter
- Every 12 months – clean evaporator drain (Every six months in humid climates.)
- Yearly – clean condensing unit coil
- Yearly – inspect the condensing unit and refrigerant line
- Every two years – clean evaporative coil
- Every five years – have HVAC contractor check refrigerant levels
As you can see by looking at the schedule, air conditioner maintenance doesn’t justify the need to purchase a monthly subscription.
There is, however, one possible exception. If you have a particularly large property, you may want to pay someone to do year air conditioning maintenance for you. Other than that, you might as well do it yourself.
Maintenance Matters: Why You Must Stick to Your Maintenance Plan
While there’s not a lot to air conditioner maintenance, you must follow through with your plan. Every HVAC system is different, but they all need annual maintenance.
Each task may take you 15 to 20 minutes. However, the first time may take you an hour.
It’s important to have patience. Once you learn how to perform the tasks, air conditioner maintenance will prove relatively easy. The most critical part of air conditioner maintenance is replacing the air filter every three months.
The next important task is cleaning condensation from out of the evaporator. If you live in a humid climate, you should perform this task every six months. In normal climates, however, you’ll only need to do it once a year.
You’ll want to clean your condenser coils once a year by removing all the dirt and leaves that have accumulated during fall and winter. You must also check the refrigerant line.
Make sure that the insulation surrounding the refrigerant line isn’t cracked or deteriorating. If it is, you can buy it from a home improvement store for a few dollars.
Hiring a Pro: HVAC Service Contracts
Some people don’t want to bother with home improvement or do-it-yourself projects. If this sounds like you, then you’re probably determined to buy an annual maintenance plan.
If that’s your preference, that’s fine. However, don’t feel compelled to buy a service contract after watching an advertisement or viewing a promotion about an air conditioner maintenance plan that you pay for monthly.
When you’re looking for a service contract, shop around. Don’t just settle for the first offer that comes your way.
Companies charge different prices for the service. They also structure their air conditioning plans differently.
Ultimately, you want to pay the least money for the most service. It will take time to shop around and figure out who will provide you with the best offer.
Some companies may only provide preventative maintenance with their package. Others might give you priority service if you subscribe to their maintenance plan. Still, other companies might include major repairs in their air conditioner maintenance program.
Another problem with air conditioner maintenance plans is that there’s no guarantee that the contractor will have the labor to cover your repairs. You may do better off calling around and finding out who’s available if there’s an emergency.
Service That You Can Depend On
If you can perform any one of the previously mentioned do-it-yourself air conditioner tasks, you can do them all. It’s quite simple once you figure it out. There are a few instances where it’s worth buying an air conditioner maintenance plan.
Instead of looking for an HVAC maintenance plan, you may spend your time better by finding a great HVAC contractor. A local HVAC specialist with a good reputation can help you with any cooling or heating need that you may have for your home or business.
If your old air conditioner isn’t putting out enough cold air or is making excessive noise, give us a call. We can also handle maintenance for large commercial properties. GUY’s Air Conditioning and Heating has served the greater Houston, Texas area for over three and a half decades.
Contact one of our friendly specialists today at (261) 306-9875 for your HVAC needs. Will keep your home cool as a cucumber on the hottest days!
