Take Time For A/C Maintenance – Both DIY Steps and Professional Attention

Take Time For A/C Maintenance – Both DIY Steps and Professional Attention

Before the weather begins to really heat up, Pasadena homeowners are wise to schedule A/C maintenance. You see, your cooling system worked hard last season to keep your home cool. Before you call on it once again to generate cooling, A/C maintenance is necessary to make sure it’s in good operating condition and to keep energy costs low.

Professional A/C maintenance involves these tasks:

• Checking the system’s refrigerant charge. Undercharged systems require additional refrigerant to reach manufacturer recommended levels
• Looking for refrigerant leaks. Refrigerant is harmful to the environment—and to humans—and any leaks in refrigerant lines should be repaired promptly
• Measuring airflow through the coils, ensuring the system functions at the proper capacity
• Checking ductwork for obstructions and/or leaks, and resolving comfort problems by sealing leaks, repairing damage and insulating as necessary
• Testing the electric controls, lubricating the motor, tightening connections and ensuring the nonconductive coating is up to par
• Checking the motor and belts for proper operation
• Testing the thermostat’s accuracy, and calibrating it as necessary
• Inspecting the controls, so that the heating mode is locked out when the cooling system runs, and vice versa
• Cleaning all components thoroughly, and replacing worn parts as needed

With a comprehensive investigation of the system’s condition, A/C maintenance ensures the efficiency of the system, its capacity to comfortably cool your home, and its ability to adequately meet the home’s cooling load. You can boost the results of professional A/C maintenance by servicing the A/C throughout the cooling season by:

• Replacing the air filter at the start of the season.
• Checking the filter once a month when the A/C runs continuously, and replacing it when it’s full.
• Checking the area around the condenser unit, faithfully removing old vegetation, grass clippings and other landscaping that could block the airflow of the unit, or access the components inside it
• Ensuring that all registers and grilles are not blocked by draperies, furniture or other objects that would otherwise prevent sufficient airflow into the living spaces

Air-Tro serves homeowners in greater Pasadena with quality cooling and heating equipment, superior installations and preventive maintenance plans. Give us a call today to schedule A/C maintenance, or to ask about our savings plans.