Cudjoe Key, FL Professional AC Tune-Up Services
There is good reason to be concerned if your air conditioning system isn’t cooling your home sufficiently or is making strange noises. Before assuming the unit needs to be replaced, try calling in a professional to look at it. Sometimes, all it takes is a little maintenance to have it running like new again. A trained professional knows what to check when diagnosing any problem with your air conditioner.
If serviced annually, you’ll get about ten years of use out of the average air conditioner. If your system still has a few years left before hitting the 10-year mark, let an AC specialist take a look before paying out more money than is needed on a brand-new replacement.
Why is an AC tune-up necessary?
Your AC unit, along with your HVAC system, has many complex parts and pieces that can degrade and break down as your unit ages. Get your unit and HVAC checked regularly to avoid going without an AC when there’s a problem.
During the inspection they will:
- clean or replace the air filter
- Search for any leaks or cracks
- check the refrigerant levels
- clean and straighten the coils and coil fins
- remedy any safety hazards
- clear the space in and around the unit from dirt and debris
- recalibrate the thermostat if needed
All of these tuning points help prolong an air conditioning unit’s existence and increase the time between issues. Similar to what owners do to their car, one also needs to have one’s AC unit regularly maintained. This is because when your AC units are not regularly tuned up, you may have a higher energy bill.
You might not know that there’s a problem with your air conditioning system until you turn it on for the first time when the temperatures start to climb at the beginning of the summer. Savvy homeowners schedule a service call for their air conditioning system well before they need to use it. Not having a functioning air conditioner can make you miserable when temperatures soar, and it can be deadly for some vulnerable people.
Do I need a tune-up or a total replacement?
It can be hard to determine whether your AC unit needs a repair or has reached its end if you are unfamiliar with the details of air conditioning units. A professional can conduct an inspection and help you determine whether your unit is done. In the list below, you can check if your device is ready to be replaced, or perhaps it just needs a minor fix.
The thermostat isn’t working
A malfunctioning thermostat is often the cause of an air conditioning problem. An AC professional will check out your thermostat’s wiring and recalibrate it as part of diagnosing the reason for your air conditioning problems.
Inconsistent temperatures throughout the home
Without a check-up, it may be challenging to know the reason for the uneven cooling in a home. Rising heat in your home will naturally keep your upper floors a bit warmer than lower levels. However, if the temperatures between rooms are significantly different, that’s an indication that you have issues with your vents, ductwork, or air filters.
Bad smells or noises
When you experience noises from your air conditioning unit, it always needs immediate action. These sounds could be a result of loose or broken parts which should all be fixed before extensive damage is done. Some broken parts can be directly repaired, while others may be beyond repair and should be replaced quickly. Unpleasant odors may come from the duct work’s burnt wires or mold.
To find out what’s causing the problem, have someone inspect the issue. Cleaning or a repair is oftentimes all it takes to fix the problem.
Leaks
If your air conditioner unit is leaking, that’s a bad sign. Regardless if you have refrigerant leaking from a line or water leaking from the condenser, the repair work is usually quite costly. If your units are old and near the end of their life, it’s probably more cost-effective to replace it instead of repair it.
High energy bills.
Higher than normal energy bills is a cause for concern and it means the unit is working harder than it needs to cool the space. It’s time to get your unit serviced if you haven’t gotten it looked at in a while and if the unit is still young.
If the unit has just been serviced and it breaks down again then it may be due to its old age. An examination will be more detailed and will let you know. If it needs to be replaced, then the professional can explain to you the more efficient options that are there in the market now.