Air Conditioning Maintenance

Benefits of Regular Maintenance

You see the billboards and all the online ads for the annual AC tune-up. Discover how what it actually does for your system to help improve your experience and reduce your costs.

• Reduced Cooling Costs:
  Running your air conditioner through the hot and humid Florida summers puts a strain on your budget. An inefficient system exacerbates that financial strain by reducing airflow and cooling capacity.
  One of the primary goals of an AC tune-up is maintaining your system’s efficiency. Your technician achieves this by getting the system clean and ensuring all components are operating at their optimal level.
• Fewer Repairs:
  Many AC repairs are the result of excessive strain placed on the system through neglect. Inefficiency results in longer than normal cooling cycles. When your system runs longer, it causes additional wear on each of the components, leading to premature repairs.
  By simply working to keep your system properly maintained, you reduce the operational strain. This means that you avoid many repairs caused by neglecting the work to maintain efficiency.
• Extended Service Life:
  The average air conditioner in Florida should last roughly 8-12 years when properly maintained. This is a little less than the national average due to the extra humidity and salt from being a coastal environment. However, when you neglect your system, this additional humidity and salt wears excessively on your system. The primary target of this wear is your condensing coil, which corrodes without regular cleaning, leading to refrigerant leaks. Without proper maintenance, your air conditioner may only last 5 to 8 years, driving up your annualized cost for an air conditioner installation.
• Maintains Manufacturer Warrant:
  If you have an air conditioner that’s still under warranty, chances are that a term of that warranty is routine maintenance. If you neglect your maintenance altogether, or try to DIY your own AC tune-up, you may forfeit your warranty.
  The companies build in this term because an air conditioner is like any other mechanical system. The longer that it goes without maintenance, the more likely it will break down. Manufacturers know this is preventable with maintenance, and therefore don’t want to be held liable for the repairs.

What Does an AC Tune-Up Include?

There are many benefits for getting a professional AC tune-up from Velocity Air Conditioning. Consider how our technicians achieve all of them for your home.

• Deep Cleaning:
  One of the first steps a technician takes when performing a tune-up is cleaning the system. Small airborne particles will flow through your air filter, and settle on your circulating fan and evaporator coil. As those particles accumulate, they restrict the volume of air your system circulates. Further, they act as a form of insulation on the evaporator coil, reducing the heat the refrigerant can absorb. This is why maintaining your system’s efficiency requires cleaning out these contaminants regularly. It’s tempting to think that you can perform this cleaning on your own. However, if you use the wrong cleaning product, you are likely to damage the coil, leading to a dangerous refrigerant leak that nay requires replacing your system.
• System Inspection and Testing:
  Next, your technician visually inspects your system for damage. This is especially important for the condensing coil outside, being that can sustain damage from the debris picked up during tropical weather. If too many fins on the coil are flattened, it prevents air from flowing through to absorb the heat from the refrigerant. Part of testing the system includes checking the level of refrigerant in the system. Low refrigerant indicates a leak somewhere, and can burn out the compressor if left to get low enough. Once your compressor burns out, you’re likely looking at replacing the entire system.
• Cycle and Component Testing:
  Once the visual inspection is complete, your technician will test your system. This includes testing the cooling cycle itself and temperature drop of the air coming through the system. They’ll also independently test components like the compressor, the compressor capacitor, and the circulating fan motor to ensure they’re operating optimally.