Air Conditioner Tuneup Tasks to Keep Your A/C in Good Working Order
August 5, 2020
With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to schedule an A/C maintenance service. Annual maintenance helps ensure your cooling system remains in good working order throughout the year and extends the life of the system. Plus, when your air conditioner works well, it runs more efficiently, saving you money on energy costs. While you should always hire a professional to complete annual HVAC maintenance and tune-up tasks on your A/C, there are actions that you can take throughout the year to help ensure the optimal comfort levels in your home.
6 Easy A/C Maintenance Tasks for Homeowners
1. Replace the Air Filter
Replacing the air filter is one of the simplest HVAC tasks that homeowners can perform themselves to keep their system running smoothly. Replacing dirty air filters can increase your air conditioner's energy efficiency by up to 15 percent.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for replacing or cleaning the filter in your A/C unit to keep your power bills low and the air in your home clean. If you go too long without replacing your air filter, it not only can cost you more money on your electric bill because it’s inefficient, but it’s also bad for your home’s air quality. A quality filter can remove common allergens, such as dust, pollen, dander, mold, etc., so this is something to keep in mind when thinking about your indoor air quality.
2. Clean and Straighten the Coil Fins
These are the parts that look like small vertical vents behind the protective metal grate. Just like other parts of your A/C, the coil fins can get debris and miscellaneous items stuck within them, so make sure you’re continually cleaning these out. If the coil fins are bent, they can increase an air conditioner's energy consumption. Use a fin comb to straighten out bent fins, which you can purchase at a home improvement store. If parts of the coil are damaged or missing, contact a professional HVAC technician.
3. Keep the Surrounding Outdoor Area Clear
Performing regular yard work and maintaining the area around your air conditioner will help prevent anything clogging up your system. Regularly remove debris that is on and around the outdoor A/C unit, keep the lawn around an outside unit trim, and cut back surrounding bushes so they don't touch it.
4. Clean the Evaporator Coils Annually
The evaporator coils are the copper tubing that twist through the inside of your A/C unit. When the evaporator coils are clogged with dust and debris, air conditioners have to work harder to maintain the comfort levels in your home. Check the evaporator coils once a year, and if it is necessary, gently vacuum the coils and use an A/C coil-cleansing product.
5. Prevent Clogs
Keeping the area around the unit clear is the first step to preventing something from getting stuck inside your cooling system, but you can also check for clogs with a simple tool. Pass a stiff wire through an air conditioner's drain channels to dislodge anything that might be making the A/C run inefficiently.
6. Schedule Annual Professional Maintenance
Before the hot weather arrives, hire a certified HVAC professional to maintain and tune the unit. When you join Lozier’s loyalty program, our service technicians will remind you when it’s time for a tuneup, so you know your heating and cooling systems will be performing at maximum efficiency year-round. Find out more perks of joining Lozier Loyalty Rewards!
Your AC Tuneup Questions Answered
How often should I tune up my air conditioner?
Experts recommend servicing your air conditioner annually. Scheduling an A/C tuneup every spring ensures your HVAC system is in good working order before the hot summer. In addition to annual professional A/C appointments, we suggest performing DIY maintenance tasks throughout the year.
For example, trim the lawn and landscaping around your A/C unit every time you mow the lawn to maximize HVAC efficiency.
What is included in a professional A/C tuneup?
When you schedule an air conditioner tuneup with Lozier, one of our technicians will check all the parts of your A/C to make sure everything is in working order. Then, we will let you know how it looks and report any issues we find.
We may recommend repairs in order to keep your A/C performing well, and we’ll move forward with any repairs or parts replacements you approve of. Your tech will be happy to answer any questions you have about your cooling system. Learn more about what you can expect from a maintenance appointment with Lozier!
Is an A/C tuneup worth it?
Although there are many maintenance tasks homeowners can do on their own, it's always a good idea to schedule an A/C tuneup with a qualified HVAC professional. Technicians can spot issues you may not notice, and expert advice helps prevent problems down the road.
When you choose Lozier for a regular A/C maintenance visit, you can be assured that you’re getting a quality review and repair of your air conditioner.
Get Your A/C Checked By Des Moines’ Leading Heating and Cooling Company
To learn more about A/C maintenance or to schedule maintenance for your cooling system, contact Lozier Heating and Cooling. We've proudly served the Des Moines area since 1906. Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area about home comfort issues, energy efficiency and other topics relating to home HVAC systems.