So how many miles have you put on your air conditioner in the last year?

Since we don’t log miles on an air conditioning system as we do on a car, this is actually an impossible question to answer. But the bigger point is worth making: just as you put miles on your car every time you drive it, you put “miles” on your air conditioning system every time you use it. And for the same three reasons you take your car into the shop for a tune-up, you should schedule an annual maintenance check – an air conditioning system tune-up – with Experts in Your Home.

A better question, then, would be: Would you remind me again why it’s so important to get my air conditioning system checked before summer?

Here are the Top 3 Reasons to Get Your Air Conditioning System an Annual Maintentance Check

Reason No. 1: A tuned-up air conditioning system runs more efficiently.

Explanation: The biggest threat to any piece of machinery – especially one as big and complex as your air conditioning system – is a buildup of dirt and grime. Cleaning is one of the most important functions of an annual maintenance check since dirt tends to accumulate most on the evaporator, condenser coils and blower components.

Take it from the U.S. Department of Energy: “An air conditioner's filters, coils and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.”

Reason No. 2: A tuned-up air conditioning system runs more economically.

Explanation: A dirty air conditioning system runs not necessarily “harder,” as some people say, but it does run longer. And the longer it takes for your air conditioning system to meet the temperature you have set on your thermostat, the more money it will cost you to operate. It is a mathematical certainty.

The cost savings of a tuned-up air conditioning system are difficult for even the department of energy to pinpoint. Homes are different, homeowners’ habits are different and their temperature preferences are different. Therefore, their cost savings are likely to be different, too. For example, a homeowner who follows up an air conditioning system tune-up with a wholesale “seal and caulk” campaign should realize greater energy savings than a homeowner who does not. This is why Experts in Your Home regards research statistics as a baseline, a beginning place. Homeowners can usually achieve even greater savings if they make greater efforts.

So, for example, when The New Buildings Institute finds that “best practices” in maintenance can reduce energy use by between 10 and 20 percent across all climate zones in the United States while “poor maintenance practices” can increase energy use by between 30 and 60 percent, we let out a cheer. Think what Chico area residents can do to trim their energy bill if they really put their mind to the task.

Reason No. 3: A tuned-up air conditioning system should last longer.

Explanation: Just as a well maintained car lasts longer, a well maintained air conditioning system should last longer, too. In fact, the manufacturer of your system has probably spelled out how long your system should last “with proper maintenance.” This is a subtler way of saying that the system doesn't stand much of a chance without proper maintenance.

Air conditioning systems are highly complex pieces of machinery, reflected in the fact that most of them run between 10 and 15 years (contrasted with furnaces, most of which last between 20 and 25 years). An annual tuneup will help ensure that your system goes the distance.

Schedule Your Home Air Conditioning System Tune-Up

Contact Experts in Your Home to schedule your air conditioning system tuneup and we'll:

• Clean the entire system.
• Lubricate the moving parts.
• Check for the correct amount of refrigerant.
• Test for refrigerant leaks.
• Measure airflow through the evaporator coil.
• Verify the correct electric control sequence and make sure that the heating and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously.
• Inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections and apply a non-conductive coating, if necessary.
• Check the belts for tightness and wear.
• Check the accuracy of the thermostat.
• Check for and seal duct leakage.

Contact Us Today!

So how many miles have you put on your air conditioner in the last year? After the Experts tune up your air conditioning system, this question should fade from your mind entirely.