Air conditioning is crucial for countless homes during the hot summer months in Long Island. However, the costs associated with running an AC are substantial. Know how scheduled air conditioning service can lower AC repair costs, and take up energy-saving habits to help your unit run more efficiently. With these tips, you’ll enjoy a comfortable home this summer without spending a lot.
What Routine AC Service Involves
Air conditioning maintenance is an affordable, predictable yearly charge that pays you back by shrinking repair costs and increasing your unit’s life span. Here are some significant maintenance steps that help prevent air conditioner breakdowns:
- Swap out the air filter: A dirty filter restricts airflow and makes your air conditioner to work harder, consuming more energy and increasing the risk of overheating. Replacing your air conditioner's dirty air filter with a clean one as part of your annual maintenance service call, and every 30 to 90 days throughout the year, promotes ideal airflow and efficiency.
- Clean the evaporator coil: The in-house evaporator coil accumulates dirt and dust with time, lowering its ability to absorb heat. This can cause the refrigerant in the coil to freeze, preventing your air conditioner from working properly. Cleaning the coil removes this insulating layer and will make it easier for the refrigerant to operate effectively.
- Clean the condenser coil: The outside condenser coil lets out heat soaked up by the refrigerant. If it’s blocked by cobwebs, grass clippings and other debris, the heat transfer process is weakened. Cleaning the condenser coil improves the unit’s performance greatly, reducing wear and tear on your air conditioner that could bring on breakdowns.
- Straighten the coils’ fins: The aluminum fins on the evaporator and condenser coils can become bent, restricting airflow and negatively affecting your air conditioner's performance. Straightening the fins with a fin comb rearranges51 them to their original position to regain ideal airflow.
- Lubricate moving parts: Friction in the motor and other moving parts generates heat and causes unnecessary wear and tear. Scheduled lubrication reduces friction, ensuring smooth operation and decreasing the need for repairs.
- Monitor refrigerant levels: A low refrigerant charge is another reason why your AC can freeze up, producing longer run times, comfort problems and preventable AC repairs. A technician uses specific tools to check and modify refrigerant levels as needed to verify proper performance and prevent a mid-season breakdown.
Other Ways to Reduce AC Repair Costs
Once-a-year maintenance is an important factor in getting rid of avoidable AC repair charges, but here are some other tips to help your air conditioning unit operate faithfully all summer long:
- Turn the temperature up: Increasing the thermostat setting limits the wear and tear on your air conditioner. Pick a comfortable temperature and avoid lowering the temperature.
- Buy a programmable thermostat: When set correctly, a programmable thermostat helps regulate your home’s temperature in a more efficient manner, reducing the stress on your AC unit. An effective technique is to set setback periods of 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away or sleeping to save on energy costs and further diminish wear and tear.
- Seal air leaks: Gaps and cracks near windows and doors permit warm, humid air into your home. Apply caulk and weatherstripping to avoid overloading your air conditioning equipment.
- Add insulation: A correct attic insulation level promotes reliable indoor temperatures and will reduce your AC’s workload. If you can observe the attic floor or joists poking through the insulation you already have in your home, add more.
- Block solar heat gain: The sun’s heat warms your home, increasing the demand on your AC system. Getting window coverings and pulling the blinds or shades during the hottest times of the day blocks solar heat gain and lowers the danger of a mid-season breakdown.
- Run ceiling fans: The wind chill effect created by ceiling fans makes a room feel about 4 degrees cooler, allowing you to raise the thermostat setting without losing comfort. Remember to shut the fan off when you leave the room, as fans cool people, not spaces.
- Use a dehumidifier: For those who are located in a humid part of the United States, increased humidity levels can easily make your home feel cool but clammy, causing you to turn down the temperature. A whole-house dehumidifier takes out excess moisture, giving your AC a much-needed break.
- Clear out your vents123: Closed or sealed off air vents throw off the balance of return and supply air, which may cause your air conditioner to break down. To avoid this, always keep at least 80 percent of your registers open, and make sure no furniture, curtains or rugs accidentally obstruct airflow. Improve circulation further by keeping interior doors open as much as possible.
- Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner: If your air conditioning system is more than 10 years old, start thinking about upgrading to a more energy-efficient system. In addition to improved efficiency, a new system is also less likely to break down or experience maintenance issues than an older unit, bringing down your repair bills in the long run.
Schedule AC Service in Long Island
By investing in routine air conditioning maintenance and adopting other recommended home-cooling habits, you’ll enjoy a comfortable interior with reduced repair costs this summer. Matz-Rightway offers top-notch air conditioner tune-ups to boost efficiency and extend your air conditioner’s life span. We can also upgrade your AC unit if yours is past its prime.