Saving yourself time and money with A/C costs starts with routine inspections and maintenance of your A/C unit by a licensed HVAC professional. Scheduling an annual inspection and maintenance check can drastically reduce your cooling costs every month and keep your A/C unit healthy for a longer period of time. It’s always a good idea to have your unit cleaned, inspected, and serviced annually. What better time than spring? Include in your spring cleaning schedule a check-up on your unit.

Every time your unit is turned on, it gathers dust and other particles that can adversely affect the efficiency of your air conditioning system. It can be easy to overlook minor issues with an air conditioning unit if you don’t know what you are looking for. A professional HVAC expert, like the ones at Barlow Air Force One Heating, are highly trained and licensed to know what to look and listen for so that your unit stays safe through the duration of the season.

Annual A/C inspections include assessment of your unit’s motor, coils, temperatures/pressures, connections, coolant levels, and more.

Do-It-Yourself Annually to Help Your Annual Maintenance Costs

Throughout the year, there are a number of things you can do to help with your annual inspection. This should not replace professional services, but it can definitely help ensure a longer life-span of your unit.

Preventative Maintenance: Perform a Visual Inspection

Warning signs! Leaks, dirty or frozen coils, strange odors, poor air flow….all of these are signs that a professional’s help is needed. Having small problems inspected and checked throughout the year can really save on things that can turn into major and costly problems later on.

Changing air filters regularly will help your A/C system’s performance. Dirty filters are clogged and can make it hard for air to move through the system. This makes your system work extra hard to do what it is made to do. When your system works harder, wear happens and your unit ends up with more problems.

Bi-Annual Tuning

Aside from your DIY maintenance, there is one more step that can keep your system operating at top capacity. Bi-annual tune ups are your system’s best friend. Just like a car needs tune-ups, liquid top-off’s, and oil lubrication, so does your A/C unit. Have a licensed HVAC professional tune up your system twice a year and save thousands of dollars by not having to replace your entire system very often.

Hiring an HVAC Professional

HVAC professionals are licensed to perform annual inspections and routine maintenance of your A/C unit. Shop around for a good HVAC company like Barlows Aire Force One. Ask for recommendations and pay attention to the reputation of a company. Always double check to make sure the contractor that you hire has his/her license and use your gut instinct. If your unit has been working fine, blowing cool air, and isn’t making strange noises, but your contractor suggests many and/or expensive repairs, get a second opinion.

In reality, air conditioners can have a life-span of approximately 15 years. If you keep yours maintained and cleaned properly and consistently, yours should last a long time.