Preventive maintenance is key if you want to keep your air conditioning in Berkeley, CA in good shape and avoid costly repairs. You can keep your AC running smoothly for years by keeping up with regular maintenance tasks.

The hot and muggy summer days are not something you’re looking forward to if your air conditioner is getting on in years.

If you suffered through last summer’s heat and spent a lot of money on repairs, you might be speculating what you can do to prevent failures this season.

You can also learn where to find one of the best HVAC companies in Berkeley.

Preventive AC Maintenance: Is It Really Worth It?

You’ve undoubtedly heard that routine preventative maintenance for your air conditioner will help it work more effectively and save energy costs. But is the price genuinely justified? And without a crystal ball, how can those service technicians predict breakdowns?

Consider this: Would you feel comfortable using a car that had been lying idle all winter on a lengthy road trip without having it checked out first?

If you did, you would run the danger of having a breakdown and a severe headache. You run the same threat by turning on your air conditioner without doing any preventative maintenance on the first warm day.

Preventative AC maintenance is essential for your comfort and peace of mind, as well as the dependability and lifespan of your system. It will get your equipment set for the hot days to come.

7 Problems A Preventive AC Maintenance Can Avoid  

A qualified AC repair professional may avoid some of these issues with a comprehensive examination and preventive AC maintenance. You may avoid those dreaded breakdowns on the season’s hottest days with only one servicing call in the spring.

Clogged Drain Pan and Pipe Systems

Condensate lines and drains can clog and overflow due to debris buildup. When it occurs, you’ll have a system failure and water damage. You can end up with severe mold growth if a sluggish water leak continues for a while before you realize it. A large mess may be avoided by clearing the pipes and drains, which is a quick task.

Incorrectly Installed Controllers

The new electronic controls are convenient and reduce energy costs, but they might be challenging to set up. If the programming is done incorrectly, you might wind up with an air conditioner that won’t turn on (or won’t turn off!).

Your service expert will examine thermostats and other controls to ensure that the proper temperatures are maintained, timer functions are set correctly, and batteries are updated.

Issues With Air Flow

Ineffective cooling caused by faulty fan motors, obstructed ducts, clogged filters, and other airflow problems might result in frozen coils and a burned-out compressor. You might then need to start looking for a new air conditioner.

Finding and repairing air flow problems might stop a much more costly issue.

Low Refrigerant Charge

The material that removes heat and humidity from the air by passing through your air conditioner’s coils is known as refrigerant. Sometimes tiny fractures or holes can form in the refrigerant pipes, allowing refrigerant to escape from the system.

When that occurs, your system loses cooling capacity until it cannot cool your room. Your service expert will check the refrigerant charge for your AC’s preventative maintenance. Before you ever notice an issue, he can locate and rectify the leak if he discovers a low refrigerant level.

Unhygienic Fan Blades

The air may be hard on the air conditioning systems, particularly the outside unit’s fan, constantly exposed to smog and pollution. The fan speed may decrease due to the blades becoming caked in dirt.

This might strain the motor and finally lead to failure. This issue may be readily avoided by cleaning the blades during preventative AC maintenance.

Unkempt Coils

Evaporator coils in your air conditioner absorb heat from the air in your room, while condenser coils dissipate heat outside the structure. The coil cannot transfer heat adequately when it is covered in dirt and filth.

Because of this, your cooling system has to work more and operate longer. The fan motor and compressor may stop working due to the increasing load.

This problem is resolved, and system failure is avoided by cleaning the coils as part of AC preventative maintenance at the start of the season, and maybe more frequently reliant on the air quality where your AC is located.

Worn Components

You will quickly find yourself without cooling if a pulley or worn belt splits. But before your system shuts down, your service professional may detect that the belt is worn and replace it.

Conclusion 

AC preventative maintenance is a meaningful way to keep the repairman away. Maintaining your AC unit clean and well-maintained allows you to enjoy cool, comfortable air all summer. You can contact a Berkeley heating and cooling company for AC maintenance!

L.J. Kruse Co. is a family-run plumbing, heating, and conditioning business that caters to residential and commercial customers. Contact us if you need services for your air conditioning in Berkeley, CA!