If you want to get the most out of your air conditioner, you need to provide it with regular maintenance. But it can’t be just any type of maintenance. It needs to be the correct type of maintenance.
Unfortunately, there are all sorts of mistakes that you can make while attempting to maintain your AC. Wondering what these mistakes might be? Here are 5 common AC maintenance mistakes to avoid for homeowners.
1. Failing to Replace Air Filters
When your AC cycles through the air, it doesn’t only take in air. It takes in dust, mold spores, and other forms of residue as well.
Fortunately, the majority of this debris doesn’t make its way into your AC unit. Why is this? Because it’s stopped by the air filter in your HVAC system.
The air filter stops the large majority of debris that comes your AC’s way. The issues start to arise, however, when this filter is never cleaned or replaced. If you don’t replace or clean your AC filter every 2 to 3 months, it will become inundated with debris and will no longer serve its function.
This, of course, will cause your AC’s duct system to become overloaded with dust, pet dander, mold spores, and the like. These elements can have a large negative effect on your AC system, blocking airflow and causing air quality issues.
If you’re like many homeowners, you’ll ignore your air filter and allow your AC to take on unnecessary stress. But you shouldn’t be like those homeowners. You should instead replace or clean your air filter regularly, and ensure that your AC is as efficient as possible.
Need help replacing or cleaning AC filters? We’re the people to see!
2. Setting Your Thermostat at Too Low a Temperature
Let’s say it’s a ridiculously hot day. Your air conditioner has yet to be turned on and you’re feeling mighty uncomfortable in your home. As such, you walk up to your thermostat and set it for a chilly 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
This might seem like a good idea, however, in truth, you’re setting the thermostat far too low. Setting the temperature exceedingly low isn’t going to get your home cold any faster. In fact, it’s just going to put added stress on your air conditioner.
This will, of course, result in unnecessary wear and tear, not to mention unnecessary energy usage. As a result, your air conditioner will end up dying before its time and you’ll have to spend more money in order to repair and replace it.
So, when the weather gets hot, don’t panic and try to counteract the heat as quickly as possible. Start at, say, 75 degrees, then wait a few hours and knock it down to 72 degrees, then, if you wish, you can establish an even lower setting.
3. Ignoring Your Ducts
Even with routine filter changes, your air ducts are still bound to take on debris over time. As was noted above, this debris can cause air blockages and can even affect the air quality of your indoor environment.
As such, it’s important that you don’t ignore your ducts. In fact, it’s advised that you have them cleaned every 3 to 5 years. This involves disassembling the ducts and then vacuuming out all of the dust and debris.
You may or may not be able to accomplish this on your own. If you’re struggling, give a call to your local AC repair service.
4. Forgetting to Clean the Unit
Not only do you need to clean air filters and air ducts but the AC unit itself. There are all sorts of parts within an AC that, when dirty, prevent the AC from functioning to the best of its abilities. Unfortunately, many homeowners fail to regularly clean these parts.
Perhaps the most important parts to keep clean are the coils: the condenser coils and evaporator coils. These help to process air, thus making it cool. If they’re dirty, however, they won’t be able to process air efficiently, thus negatively affecting the performance of the AC.
In addition, you need to clean out the inside of your AC condenser from time to time. This is located outside and is exposed to branches, rocks, and other debris.
If these aren’t removed on a regular basis, they can cause impairment within the condenser. This impairment could lead to impeller damage, which would cost hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars to repair.
We recommend cleaning the entire unit at least once (but ideally twice) a year. If you need help with the task, your local HVAC company can help you.
5. Foregoing Tune-ups
The last mistake we’re going to discuss is foregoing tune-ups. A tune-up is essentially when a professional HVAC technician looks at and services your AC unit.
Why are tune-ups important? Because they ensure that your AC system is clean and optimally efficient. They also help to identify small issues before they turn into big issues.
Those who don’t schedule regular tune-ups for their ACs tend to run into large, expensive repairs. These repairs often could have been avoided had the problems been detected earlier in their existence.
So, if you want to get the most out of your air conditioner for the least amount of money, schedule a tune-up yearly.
Say No to AC Maintenance Mistakes
As you can see, there are all sorts of AC maintenance mistakes that you could make. As such, you might choose to forego regular AC maintenance entirely, and instead hand the task over to a seasoned professional.
If so, and if you’re in the Gastonia NC area, we here at Unique Air Heating & Cooling are the people to see. We’re well-versed in AC maintenance and will do everything necessary to ensure your system is running at its maximum capacity.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!