It’s not quite AC season yet, but it won’t be long before you find yourself overheated and want to turn your air conditioner on. That means it’s time to make sure you’re ready for that moment. Does your air conditioner need a tune-up before you turn it on? Well, that depends. Here’s how to know for sure.
Why AC Tune-Ups Are Critical
Before we determine if your air conditioner needs a tune-up right now, we want to make sure you understand the importance of AC maintenance in general. Air conditioners do need regular maintenance, so if you’ve never had it done, consider these facts.
- Efficiency: Air conditioners lose about 5% of their efficiency over the course of the year. That means if you don’t get maintenance, you’ll be paying more for the same amount of comfort. And it adds up: after two years, it will be 10% less efficient, and so on.
- Repairs: With consistent maintenance, 85% of potential AC repair needs can be completely avoided! Your technician can catch tiny issues before they develop into big problems, as well as doing things like cleaning out dust and lubricating moving parts to prevent wear and tear.
- Reliability: With your air conditioner in top condition, you won’t have to worry that it will poop out on you just when you need it most.
- Life Expectancy: A complete lack of maintenance can cut air conditioner life expectancy in half, making it so you need to buy a new unit every five or six years instead of ten or twelve.
- Warranty Compliance: Most warranty agreements require that an air conditioner has regular professional maintenance done. Keeping your air conditioner under warranty can save you a lot of money, as the manufacturer may pay for parts, repairs, or even replacement under certain circumstances.
How Often AC Tune-Ups Are Necessary
If you have a traditional air conditioner, maintenance is recommended once per year. Annual maintenance is sufficient to keep things clean, lubricated, efficient, and working their best. If you have a heat pump that you use year-round, it should be maintained twice per year, as it is doing twice the work.
When AC Tune-Ups Should Be Done
While it’s generally recommended to have your air conditioner tuned up in the spring, that is absolutely not required. As long as your AC maintenance in Doylestown, PA happened within the last year, your air conditioner is good to go. Sometimes people forget spring maintenance and have it done in the fall instead, so if you did that last year, you don’t need a second round of maintenance just six months later, especially considering you’ve barely used your air conditioner since then.
What You Should Do Before Starting Your Air Conditioner
There is one step you can take yourself: make sure your air filter is clean! This should be done every three months if your air conditioner isn’t being used much, or every month when it’s being used a lot.
Contact Platinum Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our pros.