How Often Should I Service My Air Conditioner?

Do you need service on your air conditioner in Central Florida? Contact us at Fast Air Repair at 352-290-7968 today!

"How often should I service my air conditioner?" is a common question that our AC technicians hear at Fast Air Repair. Often, they hear the question when they respond to repair calls from customers who only called when their air conditioner stopped working or started behaving strangely.

Many new homeowners and landlords who are unfamiliar with air conditioning systems aren't sure when to call an HVAC technician for general maintenance, tune-ups, or repairs. With energy and housing costs on the rise, nobody wants to pay more for service than they have to. However, putting off regular service can lead to potentially expensive problems and cause your air conditioner to become unreliable and unsafe.

Fast Air Repair, a professional HVAC contractor in Ocala, FL, recommends that property owners and managers keep a consistent schedule of AC maintenance to keep their air conditioners working well, reduce liability for air conditioner failures, and reduce damage to crucial AC system components.

How Air Conditioners Work

Air conditioning units rely on the circulation of heat through the home interior, outside the home, and within the air conditioning system itself. Most problems with residential and commercial air conditioners arise from electrical issues, damage to the system that circulates refrigerant, or problems with airflow. 

• Evaporator coils allow refrigerant to expand as it absorbs heat from the surrounding air.
• Condenser coils contain hot refrigerant and transmit heat to the outside air.
• The compressor increases pressure on the refrigerant in the condenser coils, heating it up and turning it into a liquid.
• Refrigerant lines create a closed environment that allows the refrigerant to cycle between the evaporator coils and the condenser coils.
• Control systems keep the air conditioner from running too long, manage the air conditioner's duty cycle, and switch to the defrost cycle when the coils get too cold.
• The air handler or blower circulates air through the home. 

The overall effect of the air conditioner is to use the refrigerant as a conduit that forces heat to move out of the home, reducing the overall air temperature.

Instead of asking, "How often should I service my air conditioner?" you could ask, "how can I keep each of the important parts of my air conditioning and AC systems working properly?".

The large number of interdependent components in a modern air conditioner means that AC systems can only reach high standards of efficiency and performance if all the components are in top condition. If any one part fails, the other parts might work abnormally or be unable to function at all. For example, if the refrigerant levels are too low, the coils could freeze and overheat, and the control system might overwork the system to compensate for inadequate cooling.

Why Professional Air Conditioning Service Matters

Each part of the AC system requires maintenance to perform its essential function. When you call a professional air conditioner maintenance service, they will inspect each component, listen to the AC while it is in operation, and inform you of any causes for concern.

An air conditioning technician can also give advice on the best temperature settings and maintenance practices for your AC system. Their tips can head off potential repair bills and reduce your energy expenses.

The Benefits of Air Conditioning Service in the Fall

Air conditioning experts recommend having a technician look over your system at least once each year. Servicing in the spring has the advantage of bringing problems to light with enough time to fix them before the weather warms up. Spring service can also give you a chance to clean any debris that might have accumulated around the outdoor unit and repair or replace the coils if they suffered ice damage. 

The Costs of Neglecting Regular Air Conditioner Maintenance

The question "what happens if I don't maintain my air conditioner?" doesn't have one simple answer. However, there are many problems you might run into if you neglect maintenance, ranging from higher utility bills to sudden failure of your air conditioning system.

Air Conditioner Filter Replacement

In addition to regular AC maintenance, it is important to replace the air filters to your HVAC system or the individual filters for each wall unit in your mini-split system. The amount of time between filter replacements depends on the manufacturer's recommendation and on whether the filter looks dirty or clogged. Filters could last a few months or as much as a year.

HVAC System Maintenance

Do you have an HVAC system that uses a common set of ductwork to carry cooled and heated air from your furnace and your air conditioner? Your HVAC system will work better if both your furnace and AC are clean and in good repair. Having your heating system checked every year in the fall can identify problems that could wear out your blower motor or release dangerous and filter-clogging chemicals into the ductwork.

Even though the answer to the question "how often should I service my air conditioner?" is still "once per year," it could not hurt to have your HVAC technician check your air conditioner while they're giving your furnace or boiler its fall tune-up.

When To Call a Technician for Repair Services

Even if it's not yet time for your annual scheduled maintenance appointment, in some circumstances, it is better to call a professional. Air conditioning professionals recommend calling in situations like the following:

• Your air conditioner makes strange noises.
• Your indoor air quality drops when your air conditioner is running.
• Your thermostat diagnostic panel is telling you that your air conditioner needs servicing.
• The refrigerant lines are making a hissing noise.
• The outdoor unit sustained damage from storms or animals.
• You spot anything unusual about your air conditioner's indoor or outdoor units.
• You notice water pooling around the condensate drain underneath or near the indoor AC unit.

If your air conditioning technician is able to diagnose and fix the problem, it might protect your AC from further damage. Your maintenance technician can give you advice on keeping the problem from recurring in the future or minimizing its severity. You won't know whether you could have prevented an issue unless you learn more about how it began and what steps to take in the future.

If a problem arises in the fall, don't run the risk of being without air conditioning if an unseasonable heat wave hits. The volatility in the weather in recent years means that we can't always count on the seasons following their usual patterns. 

Choosing the Right Air Conditioner Company

Along with the question, "How often should I service my air conditioner?" every homeowner should ask "who should service my air conditioner?" Unless you are an experienced AC technician, you should not carry out air conditioner maintenance on your own. Hiring a general contractor or handyman with limited experience in air conditioning maintenance could also be risky.

Schedule HVAC Service with Fast Air Repair 

"How often should I service my air conditioner?" is hardly the only question on our customers' minds at Fast Air Repair in Ocala, FL. People what to know, "how can I be sure my HVAC system is working at its best?" and, "how can my air conditioner last 15 years or more?".

Ask our experienced technicians about the costs of an inefficient air conditioning system and how to improve energy efficiency. Call Fast Air Repair at 352-290-7968 now to schedule regular maintenance of your HVAC system or air conditioning unit.