Am I Supposed to Have Regular Maintenance on My AC?
If you live in Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Dunedin or anywhere across the Tampa area, you’re likely getting your money’s worth out of your AC unit. But why not make that money go the distance by prolonging the life of your air conditioner for as long as possible (and saving money on your energy bills to boot)?
That’s what regular AC maintenance can do for you. Here in Central Florida, our cooling systems already don’t last as long as they do in the rest of the country – outside of Florida it’s common to see HVAC units last 15-20 years with proper maintenance. But in Tampa, 8-14 years is more realistic – as long as you do the regular maintenance. Below we’ll discuss a few easy, yet important, maintenance steps you should be doing to keep your system performing at its peak.
Tips for Performing AC Maintenance
- Change your air filters monthly – Perhaps the easiest thing you can do to improve your indoor air quality and the efficiency of your AC system is to change your air filter regularly. To learn how, be sure to read this post. Dirty and clogged air filters block airflow, forcing your unit to work harder. The dirt and debris can then also get on your evaporator coils and reduce their efficiency.
- Clean your coils – Dirty condenser coils could prevent your unit from releasing heat energy effectively, which could cause it to break down due to overheating.
- Clean your condensate drain pan and drain lines – This is where moisture from your cooling unit collects and then drains away via your drain lines, but they too can collect dirt, become clogged or cause a leak. You can run a diluted bleach or vinegar solution through the line to help clean them out.
- Call up a professional to do it for you – Some maintenance tasks are best fit for a professional as parts of the unit are harder to access without removing panels or understanding how all the whole system operates together. We recommend annual AC tune-up inspections to keep your cooling system working most efficiently. During inspections, we measure things like airflow through the evaporator coils and test for any refrigerant leaks.
Performing regular AC maintenance is an important step you can take to save money on your energy bills, improve your system’s efficiency and prolong the life of your unit. To schedule an inspection or tune-up in the greater Tampa area, contact our team at Mario’s AC.
