How Often Does My Air Conditioner Need Service?
The EPA says air conditioners cost U.S. homeowners nearly $30 billion each year to run. Now that’s quite a utility bill! Luckily, there are ways to keep your household’s energy use in check, such as regular maintenance. Keeping up with service can keep your AC unit running efficiently — and it can reduce your energy use by up to 50%. It also ensures your Ogden-area home stays comfortable during our hot summer months. Mountain Home Services recommends our customers have their air conditioning unit inspected, cleaned, and serviced at least once a year, preferably in the spring.
Why Annual Air Conditioning Service is So Important
Everyone wants their AC unit to work on the first hot day of the year. To make sure that happens, it’s a good idea to schedule a service appointment now for in the spring. Many people skip this vital maintenance step and find they face a long wait time when they call for service in the summer.
Your Ogden home’s air conditioner has many moving parts that need to work together to perform their cooling job. Critical components like fans and coils need proper lubrication and cleaning. Left unserviced, they can have lower performance (which increases your utility costs) or stop working altogether.
During scheduled maintenance service, your HVAC provider can:
- Replace dirty air filters
- Check and clean indoor and outdoor coils for proper airflow and drainage
- Clean the condensate pump of sludge and slime
- Make an overall visual inspection to detect conditions that might leak to a refrigerant leak
- Detect and repair refrigerant leaks
- If you have an older unit, spring is also the best time to discuss with your HVAC technician if it’s time to consider installing a new air conditioner.
Signs You Need Air Conditioning Service
Just like your car, your teeth, and your body need the occasional check-up, your AC unit needs to be regularly evaluated to maintain its health. Here are five signs your air conditional might need maintenance or repair:
- Restricted Airflow: If there’s less cool air coming out of the vents and your system struggles to circulate air throughout your home, it can be due to anything from a clogged filter to blocked ductwork.
- Moisture: Notice excessive moisture around your AC unit? It could be due to a refrigerant leak, a serious issue that needs immediate repair.
- Strange Noises: All air conditioning units make some, but if yours suddenly starts making unfamiliar sounds, it’s time to call in a professional HVAC technician. Squeaking, squealing, grinding, and hissing noises are never normal for an AC unit. While not all these sounds mean something is critically wrong with your unit, they do call for an inspection before what’s making them causes serious equipment damage.
- Odd Smells: Odors, particularly smoky ones, should be addressed immediately. Turn the unit off and contact an AC specialist immediately.
- Higher Energy Bills: If you notice higher electricity bills, your air conditioning unit may be to blame. Excessive energy costs can be remedied by regularly scheduled maintenance.
Mountain Home Services for All Your AC Service Needs
We want to make sure your air conditioner keeps you and your home cool for the summer. When you schedule regular maintenance services with Mountain Home Services, the benefits include:
- Increased dependability
- Discovering potential problems and fixing them quickly
- Providing maximum efficiency which lowers energy costs
- Prolonging the life span of your equipment
- Maintaining the AC’s safe and healthy operation
- Protecting the environment
- Reducing the chance of a breakdown — which usually occurs in the heat of summer!
During a scheduled maintenance call, Mountain Home Services experienced professionals troubleshoot air conditioning problems and provide effective solutions for any issues. Your Ogden home’s AC unit is thoroughly inspected and, if repairs are needed, we discuss your options with you.