Air Conditioning Repair and Maintenance Tips | Arlington, TX
Most people don’t think about repairing a cheap window AC unit, but it’s another story entirely when you’re talking about a central AC unit that you spent thousands on. The best way to avoid having to pay for expensive air conditioning repair is to make sure you’re keeping up with routine maintenance and fixing small problems when you notice them. Having an HVAC technician come to your Arlington, TX, home can help extend the life of your AC and make it run more efficiently. If you want to make sure you’re taking the best care of your AC unit, these tips can help you out.
Air Filters
One of the simplest things you can do to avoid having to spend a bunch on air conditioning repair is keep up with regular air filter replacements. Not only is your air filter designed to filter out contaminants before you’re exposed to them, they also have a big impact on the airflow coming from your AC.
Airflow is one of the most important parts of a properly functioning HVAC system, whether you’re talking about a forced-air furnace or a central air conditioning unit. Since all the air that your AC sends to your Arlington, TX, home goes through the air filter in your HVAC system, that air filter plays a big role in terms of airflow. Not only that, keeping a fresh air filter in your HVAC system ensures you aren’t being exposed to too many contaminants.
According to most air conditioning repair professionals, you should change your air filter between every three and six months. The interval at which you change your air filter has a lot to do with the type of filter you have, its rating and the conditions in your home.
Keep It Clean
While it might not seem like the biggest deal, you have to make sure you’re keeping your AC unit and the area around it clean. Not only do you need to make sure there’s proper airflow to your AC unit, dirt and debris can also cause premature corrosion that can lead to major problems.
One of the big things you have to keep an eye on when it comes to keeping your AC unit clean are the coils. Every AC unit has a set of evaporator and condenser coils that are used to make cool air, but these coils tend to get dirty over time. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you’re having an air conditioning repair expert come to your home for repairs on a regular basis.
Although it isn’t quite as important as making sure the coils in your AC unit are clean, you also need to make sure you’re keeping the area around your AC unit clean if it’s outside. Having a buildup of debris around a central air conditioning unit can cause a lot of problems that can cause premature wear and tear and leave you spending a fortune on air conditioning repair.
Refrigerant
If you’re not familiar with the way the AC unit in your Arlington, TX, home works, the biggest thing you need to know about is refrigerant. Refrigerant is used in combination with condenser and evaporator coils to create cool air to be delivered to your home. Because of the important role refrigerant plays in your AC unit, having a refrigerant-related problem can be a major issue.
Leaks are the biggest thing you need to look out for in terms of refrigerant. Your AC unit has refrigerant lines that are designed to carry refrigerant throughout the unit, but corrosion and other factors can wear those lines down over time. If you spot a potential refrigerant leak coming from your AC unit, call an air conditioning repair company right away.
Another thing you have to worry about when it comes to refrigerant is how much is in your AC unit. Refrigerant doesn’t last forever, so you may end up with low refrigerant in your unit that needs to be recharged. While this isn’t a major problem in terms of the damage it can cause to your AC unit, it can cause a spike in your power bill if you don’t have an air conditioning repair expert recharge your refrigerant.
Seasonal Maintenance
The best thing you can do if you want to make sure the air conditioning in your Arlington, TX, home is always in pristine condition is be vigilant about maintenance. You should have a professional come to your home at least twice every year to inspect and clean your HVAC system. Ideally, you should have seasonal maintenance done during the fall and spring when your HVAC system isn’t used heavily.
During seasonal maintenance, a heating and air conditioning repair expert will make sure your entire system is in good shape and ready for the approaching season. This includes changing the air filter and cleaning the ducts, making sure various components are lubricated and inspecting parts of your AC unit and furnace to make sure there aren’t any problems developing.
While investing money in seasonal maintenance may seem like a tough task, it’s the best way to save money on expensive air conditioning repairs. The biggest reason AC units fail before their expected lifespan is because of a lack of maintenance.
A Little Help
If you care about saving money and not having to deal with the hassle of hiring HVAC technicians to come to your home, you need to know the basics of repairs and maintenance. The good news is, a little preventative maintenance goes a long way.
The best way to make sure you’re taking excellent care of your heating and cooling system is to put your trust in the pros at Minuteman Heating and Air in Arlington, TX. Whether you need air conditioning repair or seasonal maintenance to prevent big problems with your AC unit, we’ve got you covered. To schedule an appointment with an HVAC pro today, give us a call at (817) 284-2569.