We might still have a few weeks of winter left, but as anyone around our parts knows, when spring and summer hit, they hit hard. The seasonal change will bring soaring temperatures and imbalanced humidity, meaning you will want to ensure you have a fully effective and efficient Austin, TX air conditioning system in your home.
One way to ensure this is the case is by scheduling maintenance on a regular basis. For a standard air conditioning system, this means once a year, preferably before you need your system on a daily basis (making now the perfect time to schedule this service). For heat pump systems, which are used year-round, you’ll have to have maintenance scheduled every six months. That’s the only way to ensure that the following potential AC problems don’t creep up on you and leave you with a broken down cooling system on one of the hottest days of the year.
Leaking Refrigerant
There’s a pretty common misconception among homeowners that refrigerant is something that depletes, like gasoline does from a car. However, the opposite is true—upon installation, your air conditioner is supplied with enough refrigerant to last throughout its entire lifespan.
If you’re told you’ve lost refrigerant or suspect that you have lost refrigerant, it means you have a leak. The source of the leak must be found and repaired, and then the refrigerant should be refilled—recharged. But recharging refrigerant shouldn’t be a regular occurrence.
Dirty or Clogged Air Filter
The air filter that comes standard with your HVAC system is in place to protect the inside components from dirt, dust, and any other debris that might infiltrate it. When it becomes too clogged up, it prohibits proper airflow, causing your cooling system to work too hard. This means increased wear and tear for your AC among other problems.
Depending on how much you use your air conditioner, and the level of contaminants in your home, this filter should be changed about once a month during heavy periods of use. You might be able to stretch this to three months, depending on what type of filter you have in place.
Age-Related Problems
As your cooling system grows older—even if you keep up on those maintenance appointments as often as you should—it accrues natural wear and tear. Eventually, this will get to the point that repairs can only last so long before another repair is needed.
If your air conditioning system is 10 to 15 years old and you find that you need to have repairs done every few months, it’s probably time to consider an AC system upgrade.
Ensuring Optimal AC Performance
There are a number of things that can go wrong with even a well-cared for air conditioner. But there are even more things you can do to care for the system and make sure it operates as efficiently as possible. For instance, you can:
- Check that your thermostat is working correctly and accurately reading the temperature in your home.
- Upgrading the thermostat to a digital or even Wi-Fi model.
- Having your ductwork checked and repaired if necessary, to ensure no conditioned air is escaping out.
- Improving the insulation in your living space.
- Limiting the use of heat-producing appliances such as your oven and dishwasher during the day.
For quality HVAC care, contact Roznovak’s Services today!
