Regular maintenance is essential for optimizing the efficiency of your AC. Your tune-up schedule is a major part of this. Don’t settle for a quick lookover when it comes to your next tune-up. Some people don’t think twice when an AC tune-up is advertised as 15 or 20 minutes long. Quality tune-ups include maintenancec cleaning and will take about an hour. Your technician may take longer if other repairs are required.
Experts recommend that you have a spring tune-up every year before the hot weather hits. One tune-up yearly is considered the minimum for a long-lasting and efficient unit. Getting two tune-ups a year will help your AC stay in the best shape possible. You should also have a tune-up if you notice major issues. These can include a high energy bill, reduced air flow, or an overly warm house. You should also call for a tune-up if your AC starts and stops too much or if your house is too humid.
Here’s what your technician does during a thorough tune-up.
1. Checks the System’s Operating Ability
Your technician will almost always start by evaluating how the system is operating. They will start the system in different modes to do this. This will help them determine if any repairs are needed in addition to regular tune-up services. They will turn off the electricity to the unit once they are ready to start cleaning and looking inside the unit.
2. Inspects the Refrigerant
Most technicians begin by looking at the refrigerant. Refrigerant needs topping off from time to time. If your refrigerant gets very low between tune-ups, repairs might be in order. Refrigerant leaks are one reason the fluid levels might be low. Leaky refrigerant can be hard to spot. Your technician will inspect the system carefully for small drips. The leak typically occurs near a fitting or valve. The actual compressor coil can also leak. The refrigerant can freeze a coil if the leak is near it. Leaky refrigerant may also cause your system to become noisy or humid.
Refrigerant has to be charged inside the coils properly in order for the system to work. If your system goes too long without the right charge or low refrigerant, the compressor might break. Talk to your technician about any signs of a problem with the refrigerant early. Repairs might add some time to your tune-up. You will save a lot of time and money in the long run by taking care of refrigerant issues.
3. Checks Electrical Components and Connections
Your AC unit has several electrical components. The capacitor stores the electricity from the main supply and allows the AC to cycle with plenty of energy. The contactors inside the system manage the internal electrical flow. Your AC also has several relays, a thermostat, a fan motor, pressure switches, and a crankcase heater. Your technician will check everything during a thorough tune-up.
Your technician will also check the wiring and connections throughout the system. Be sure to talk to them about any smart home features connected to your AC. They will need to make sure the system is properly connected after electrical adjustments are made.
4. Checks the Mechanical Parts
The main mechanical parts include the compressor, fan, condenser coil, evaporator coil, and refrigerant components. Other parts include several belts, bearings, and motors. AC units also contain pumps and an ignition system. Belts, bearings, fans, and motor pieces typically wear out faster than other things.
Your technician will carry many parts in the truck to help speed up your tune-up. The full tune-up will take more time if any parts are not immediately available.
Fully inspecting things like the compressor means removing some face plates and taking electrical readings. Your technician will also need to test the thermostat separately, and they will also check the pressure switches on your system and add lubricant where required.
5. Checks the Air Filters, Flow, and Exhaust Systems
Your technician will need to check the ducts, filters, exhaust system, and vents. They will get additional details about the system’s humidity and air quality doing this. They will also do a thorough inspection to make sure there are no obstructions in your system. The technician will typically take at least one instrument out to measure airflow and pressure. You might see technicians plug a few measuring devices into various areas of the AC system.
Technicians may choose to clean filters in some cases. In other cases, the filters will need to be replaced. Be sure to ask if your filters are lasting long enough since inadequate filters will wear your system out early.
6. Manually Cleans Indoor and Outdoor Coils
Keeping coils in working shape for a long time means having them cleaned properly. Your technician will check both sets of coils and rinse them in a professional-grade solution. You should call them for an extra tune-up and cleaning if you notice buildup developing on the coils early. Grime will severely reduce the efficiency of the coils and eventually break the unit. Extra grime can be due to environmental factors. Grime will also build up quickly if a leak develops.
7. Inspects and Cleans Drainage Pans
Condensate drain lines drain into a pan that is attached directly to the evaporator coil. An overflow pan will catch any extra condensation. These pans are typically plastic. Most modern pans last between five and 10 years. You will have to replace the coil with the pan if the pan is damaged from buildup. Your technician will check the drain line and pans and clean everything that can be cleaned. Be sure to ask them about the condensation levels and any buildup. Some systems may need more frequent drainage than others due to the environment or certain design features.
8. Inspects and Adjusts Blower Parts
Most AC systems have a single-stage blower located inside the air handler. It is easy to confuse the blower with the condenser fan. The blower is separate from other fans in the system. Most AC blowers last as long as the original HVAC unit lasts with regular maintenance. This is the part that pushes the cool air through your vents. Be sure to ask your technician about this part if your airflow is weak.
Quality Service by a Local Company
Oak Island Heating and Air Conditioning is a family-owned business serving customers in San Marco, CA, and the surrounding areas. We have routine maintenance agreements for regular customers and offer a full range of AC services. We work on traditional systems and ductless mini-split systems. We also offer a full range of heating installation, repair, and maintenance services. Our customers call us for work on heat pumps, whole house fans, smart thermostats, and indoor air quality services. We offer humidifiers and dehumidifiers, UV lights, indoor air scrubbers, and air purifiers. We also provide HVAC zoning services.
Contact Oak Island Heating and Air Conditioning today for more information today!
