AC Maintenance College Station
AC Maintenance College Station Tips for Homeowners
Annual preventative maintenance for your air conditioner system serves the same purpose as an oil/filter change and tire rotation for your vehicle. Without these services, dirty pollutants would interfere with the function, causing energy inefficiency and poor performance. Ignoring tire maintenance leads to uneven wear and shortens usefulness.
Regular AC maintenance College Station of your air conditioner is beneficial beyond poor performance and premature failure (although these are significant benefits.)
- A new air conditioner system will run at peak performance for a while, but time and contaminants “gum up the works.” Efficiency begins to decline since the system will work harder to keep the home cool and comfortable. Increased workload results in increased energy costs and higher bills. Maintenance helps restore the system closer to the original performance standard.
- Poor performance will be noticeable by inconsistent or poor comfort levels in the home. The heat and humidity can both be higher than is normally comfortable. This often results in family members lowering the temperature setting, putting stress on the system without the desired results.
- A poorly maintained system is more likely to experience unexpected problems and failure. Initially, the repairs might not be expensive, but the discomfort and inconvenience of being without air conditioning for a few days or an entire week is quite unpleasant.
Regular AC maintenance can avoid many of these problems.
What needs to be maintained?
- The filter needs to be changed regularly, at least once every three months. It is surprising how many homeowners neglect this simple task.
- The thermostat is the ON/OFF switch for the air conditioner. It is battery-powered, and we replace the batteries. Occasionally, the thermostat needs to be tested and recalibrated.
- The AC system has a small computer—a circuit board—and maintenance tasks include troubleshooting the board for errors and faults.
- The blower motor has the only moving parts in the whole system. The blower assembly will be tested, cleaned, lubricated, and the belt replaced, as needed.
- The several sensors, switches, and control mechanisms needed to be tested for weakness and failure. An electrical failure tends to put stress on other parts until a cascade of failures occurs; testing catches problems early. Visual inspections will uncover potential loose wiring connections.
- The refrigerant pressure will be tested. Air conditioning systems use a refrigerant, which changes between liquid and gas depending on the temperature. The refrigerant is in a closed loop and must be kept at a very particular pressure; when the pressure drops, it ceases to cool properly.
- Inside the central air cabinet is an A-shaped coil of tubes. The refrigerant is cold while in these tubes, so humidity in the air condenses and drops to a drain pan below. This area is thoroughly cleaned to make sure the water does not leak onto the floor.
- The motor that compresses the refrigerant is located outdoors in the condenser unit. It is crucial to the system, so its performance will be thoroughly checked.
- The exterior of the condenser unit is a hollow network of cooling tubes with a huge fan inside. The fan pulls air through the tubes to cool the hot refrigerant. It also pulls in dust, pollen, and anything else that gets too close. Maintenance includes thoroughly cleaning the condenser coil to ensure the fan can cool the gas in the tubes.
- Not all the ductwork will be visible, but a technician will make a visual inspection of everything within sight, including interior vents.
- After all the components are tested, inspected, and tweaked, maintenance will be finalized through a performance test. This includes measuring temperature changes during the cooling cycle.
AC maintenance College Station – Call RM Mullinix
For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our AC maintenance College Station services, schedule an appointment or visit our AC maintenance College Station information page.
