As global heat records shatter far and wide, and Southwest Florida again hunkers down for the dog days of summer, keeping cool is more essential than ever.
The necessity of a properly performing home cooling system is not just a question of comfort. For the elderly, children, pets, those with chronic illness and others, it’s a matter of health and safety – if not life or death. And that’s why annual A/C maintenance is so critical.
Here at Pro-Tec Plumbing & Air, we recommend our Annual A/C Maintenance Program to keep your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system working efficiently. A modest yearly investment will generate considerable savings on monthly energy costs and extend the life of your unit.
Annual A/C Maintenance Checklist
Every summer, we like to share reminders about the importance of not waiting for your A/C unit to break down before reaching out. In that spirit, here are just some of the items our technicians review as part of the Annual A/C Maintenance Checklist:
- Confirm proper cooling and temperature split
- Clean and/or replace air filters
- Flush and clean condensation drain
- Clean primary drain pan
- Clean outdoor coil
- Test all safety sensors and/or switches
- Electrical testing of all unit connections and components
- Monitor refrigerant pressures
- Inspect and clean indoor coil and blower wheel
- Adjust thermostat calibration
- Lubricate all moving parts
- Check for proper air flow and inspect duct system
- Clean condensation pump
- Replace batteries in all thermostats
Our Annual A/C Maintenance Plan includes priority scheduling, two HVAC system tune-ups each year and up to 10% off all service calls. It can also be bundled with our Annual Plumbing Maintenance Plan for added protection of your home and additional savings.
READ MORE: A/C replacement vs. repair: Which is right for my home?
DIY Tips: Annual A/C Maintenance
To be clear, both residential and commercial A/C systems require professional maintenance. That said, here are some easy steps homeowners can follow to keep their A/C units humming between service appointments:
- Air filter replacement: A/C manufacturers typically recommend changing the air filter every 30 days. Those without pets or with smaller households can usually wait two to three months to change the filters.
- Install a “smart” thermostat: Smart thermostats allow users to control the temperature remotely through a cell phone app. Precision technology allows homeowners to more easily adjust cooling rates by time of day and activity, including when at work or on vacation.
- Vary the temperature: The U.S. Department of Energy notes that lowering the temperature from its regular setting by 7-10 degrees for eight hours can save 10% annually on cooling costs. Experts recommend keeping a home a few degrees warmer during the day if no one is home.
- Move appliances and lamps away from the thermostat: The thermostat measures the interior temperature and operates the A/C system based on that reading. Devices that emit warm air will alter those measurements.
- Keep window blinds closed: When sunlight hits windows, it heats up a room. The U.S. Department of Energy calculates that 76% of sunlight that hits windows becomes heat.
- Shade the outdoor unit. The outdoor compressor and condenser should be shaded, if possible. One important caveat: branches and bushes can restrict air flow, so make sure to keep any nearby trees, plants and foliage properly trimmed.
- Periodic checks. Check the unit occasionally to ensure that small items of debris, such as fallen leaves and twigs (which can hinder air flow), haven’t got caught in the unit.
- Vacuum air vents. Vents should be kept clean to remove dust buildup.
- Seal openings with weather stripping. Your front door and door leading from the garage into the home might not be properly sealed, allowing hot air from the outside to flow through any openings or gaps.
Ready to enroll in annual A/C maintenance?
Keeping your home A/C system in tip-top shape is a year-round job. Let us use our expertise to boost your peace of mind with an Annual A/C Maintenance Plan.