How Routine Air Conditioning Service Can Reduce AC Repair Costs

Air conditioning is a must for lots of homes during the sweltering summer months in Fort Lauderdale. However, the costs associated with running an AC are substantial. Find how regular air conditioning service can minimize AC repair costs, and take up energy-saving habits to help your unit run more efficiently. With these tips, you’ll have a comfortable home this summer without spending a lot.

What Routine AC Service Entails

Air conditioning maintenance is a reasonably priced, predictable yearly expense that pays you back by decreasing repair costs and lengthening your unit’s life span. Here are some significant maintenance steps that help avoid air conditioner breakdowns:

• Change the air filter: A dirty filter slows down airflow and causes your air conditioner to work harder, utilizing more energy and increasing the risk of overheating. Exchanging your air conditioner’s dirty air filter with a clean one as part of your yearly maintenance visit, and every 30 to 90 days throughout the year, promotes ideal airflow and efficiency.
• Clean the condenser coil: The exterior condenser coil emits heat taken in by the refrigerant. If it’s caked in cobwebs, grass clippings and other debris, the heat transfer process is weakened. Cleaning the condenser coil improves the unit’s efficiency substantially, reducing wear and tear on your air conditioner that could cause breakdowns.
• Straighten the coils’ fins: The aluminum fins on the evaporator and condenser coils can become bent, restricting airflow and decreasing performance.  Correcting the fins with a fin comb rearranges them to their original position to reestablish ideal airflow.
• Lubricate moving parts: Friction in the motor and other moving parts creates heat and causes undue wear and tear.  Regular lubrication reduces friction, ensuring smooth operation and cutting down on the need for repairs.
• Check refrigerant levels: A low refrigerant charge is another answer for why your AC can freeze up, causing longer run times, comfort problems and avoidable AC repairs. An HVAC professional uses specific tools to check and change refrigerant levels as needed to ensure proper function and prevent a mid-season breakdown.

Other Ways to Reduce AC Repair Costs

Annual maintenance is a crucial factor in reducing AC repair expenditures, but here are some other techniques to help your AC unit operate faithfully all summer long:

• Turn the temperature up: Elevating the thermostat setting limits the wear and tear on your cooling system.  Find a comfortable temperature and avoid changing it to a lower temperature.
• Invest in a programmable thermostat: When set correctly, a programmable thermostat helps control your home’s temperature in a more efficient manner, reducing the stress on your AC unit. Remember to schedule setback periods of 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away or sleeping to help save on energy costs and further alleviate wear and tear.
• Seal air leaks: Gaps and cracks around windows and doors let warm, humid air into your home. Apply caulk and weatherstripping to avoid overburdening your air conditioner.
• Put in additional insulation: A correct attic insulation level helps create reliable indoor temperatures and lessens your AC’s workload. If you can spot the attic floor or joists poking through the existing insulation, add more.
• Block solar heat gain: The sun’s heat warms your home, increasing the demand on your AC system. Putting in window coverings and drawing the blinds or shades during the hottest times of the day blocks solar heat gain and lowers the danger of a mid-season breakdown.
• Use ceiling fans: The wind chill effect created by ceiling fans makes a room feel about 4 degrees cooler, which allows you to raise the thermostat setting without losing comfort. Don’t forget to turn the fan off when you leave the room, as fans cool people, not spaces.
• Use a dehumidifier: For those who reside in a humid part of the United States, increased humidity levels might make your home feel cool but clammy, motivating you to turn down the temperature. A whole-house dehumidifier takes away unwanted moisture, giving your air conditioning a much-needed break.
• Clean your vents: Closed or covered air vents throw off the balance of return and supply air, which might cause your air conditioning to break down. To avoid this, keep at least 80 percent of your registers open, and make sure no furniture, curtains or rugs accidentally block airflow. Boost circulation further by opening the doors between the rooms in your home as much as possible.
• Install an energy-efficient air conditioner: If your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, start thinking about upgrading to a more energy-efficient model. In addition to improved efficiency, a new system is also much less likely to break down or encounter maintenance issues than an older unit, lowering your repair costs in the long run.

Schedule HVAC Service in Fort Lauderdale

By investing in scheduled air conditioning maintenance and adopting other recommended home-cooling habits, you’ll enjoy a comfortable interior with reduced repair costs this summer. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning offers skilled AC tune-ups to maximize efficiency and extend your air conditioner’s life span. We can also upgrade your AC unit if yours is past its prime.