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If you take care of your air conditioning unit, you could prolong its life and get the most use out of it. Generally you should be able to do most of the maintenance yourself. However, in the more serious cases, it would be better to hire a contractor. Chicago is a busy city and often we forget to schedule our air conditioner tuneup.
The first and most simple step to take to prolong your air conditioner’s life is to change the filter. You should change it whenever it gets dirty. Depending on the usage, that could range from every three to six months. There are some filters out there, which can last up to a year. Ask someone in the hardware store for more tips!
Once a year be sure that you check the evaporator coil located inside the air handler to make sure there is no dust build up. We recommend to have your HV/AC tune up twice a year.
With a tune up, your air conditioner can start operating at peak efficiency. This will allow you to use less energy and keep your energy bills lower. The sooner in the season, you take advantage of a tune up, the more you can take advantage of the lower costs.
An Air Conditioner Tune-Up Includes:
- Lubricating all motors and bearings
- Cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils
- Replacing the air filter
- Checking the refrigerant level
- Cleaning and adjusting the blower
- Checking and testing all electrical connections and controls
- Checking and cleaning the condensate drain
- Checking and calibrating the thermostat settings
- Checking voltage & amp draw of blower motor, compressor and condenser fan
- Testing the cooling system and capacitors
What are the benefits of an air conditioner tune-up?
- Avoid air conditioner problems this summer. There’s never a good time to have your air conditioner break down, but you certainly don’t want it to happen in the middle of summer! An air conditioner tune-up will ensure your air conditioner is running as smoothly as possible and help prevent unexpected problems when you need your air conditioner the most.
- Catch small problems before they become BIG problems. The longer you ignore a problem with your air conditioner, the worse it will tend to get. Often times, unattended problems will leave you with higher operating costs as well as more expensive repairs. During a tune-up, we’ll check for any problems — big or small — that your cooling system might be experiencing and take care of them before they get worse.
- Improve comfort levels in your home. The whole reason you have an air conditioner in your home is to keep you and your family comfortable. Without an annual tune-up, your air conditioner will likely develop inefficiencies and problems that make it difficult to cool your home the way you want it to.
- Lower your utility bills. A tune-up will bring your air conditioner up to its peak operating efficiency. This will allow your unit to consume less energy and keep your utility bills under control. The earlier in the year you get your tune-up, the more you can take advantage of these lower operating costs.
- Extend the life of your unit. Air conditioners that have annual tune-ups last much longer than poorly-maintained systems. By having your air conditioner tuned-up every year, you can add years to its operating life and increase the value of your investment in your system.
