How Often Should I Have an Air Conditioning Service?
Endeavouring to book an air conditioning service every once in a while is vital to ensure your AC unit continues functioning normally. But how often should you be servicing air conditioning? In this article, we will discuss the recommended regularity of servicing air conditioning units and the AC components that should be checked routinely in between each air conditioning service to maintain the efficiency of your system.
How often should I have an air conditioning service?
We recommend that you have an air conditioning service every six months to ensure that the performance of your system is optimal. We suggest having an air conditioning service in March and September each year to get your system ready for the summer months and that there are no broken AC components that may worsen over the winter and render your unit unusable for the next warm season. A regular service will identify easily-fixable problems with your system and allow you enough time to solve those that require more attention.
System components
Many essential components in your air conditioning system can deteriorate over time and negatively impact the rest of the machine. Each of these AC components is connected and plays an essential role in the functionality of your air conditioner. If one fails, you may notice a chain effect that can affect the performance of the air conditioner, cause it to use more energy to function normally, and substantially increase your energy consumption.
- The components your mechanic will assess
These components should only be evaluated by a trained professional to avoid further damage. They include operational checks on the control panel and the electrical controls. You can also check the pressure and flow switches, the safety and limiting components and the actuators and dampers. They will also assess the fans, filters, heaters, humidifiers, evaporators, refrigeration systems, condensers, and water pumps. As you can see, there is a lot to check and a lot that could go wrong. This is why a bi-yearly check is essential to identify whether a vital component is working correctly and correct the issue if that is not the case.
- The components you can keep an eye on
You don’t have to wait for an air conditioning mechanic to come out to see your unit. In actuality, we promote checking certain components in your AC between services to keep your AC unit functioning normally until then.
Regularly cleaning your filters is crucial when checking over your AC unit, as it gets clogged up incredibly quickly. Dust, debris, and other contaminants can get caught in the filter and prevent your AC system from performing optimally. We recommend cleaning or replacing your AC filters every month or two during cold seasons and more regularly when it’s warm and usage is high. If you choose to clean your filters, all you need to do is clean away any debris, wash the filters (if they are reusable) in warm soapy water, and allow them to dry thoroughly before putting them back in.
Additionally, you can clean the condenser and evaporator coils by submerging them in an anti-corrosive disinfectant solution for 10 minutes once a year. This will remove any dirt and grime that could be hindering their performance.
We recommend using a fin comb to remove the debris that the aluminium fins of your AC unit accumulate every three months. Build-up can cause these fins to bend and block and decrease the efficiency of the system as a whole.
The condensate drains should be cleared of blockage throughout the year to dislodge debris that reduces the unit’s capacity to reduce humidity.
And finally, inspect the primary seal between your AC unit in your HVAC system and window frame every year when the weather gets cold. Cold weather and moisture can damage the seal and allow internal air to escape your room.
How can D-MEC help?
Here at D-MEC, our highly-skilled air conditioning engineers conduct comprehensive air conditioning maintenance and services to keep your system functioning optimally. There’s nothing we haven’t seen before. So you can be certain we’ll quickly identify the problem and seamlessly remedy it so you can get your unit back up and running. Contact us now to book your air conditioning service!