Mit tartalmaz az AC szolgáltatás?
A 80-as és 90-es évek hőmérséklete és a tavaszi, nyári és őszi magas páratartalom miatt Houston kissé fojtogatónak érezheti magát. Ennek ellenére a lakosok és a látogatók egyaránt élvezik a város irigylésre méltó életmódját, évente átlagosan 204 napsütéses napot. Szeretünk a szabadban lenni és érezni a napsütést!
Ennek ellenére, ha itt él, akkor azt is tudja, mennyire fontos, hogy legyen egy hűvös otthona, ahol a melegben eltöltött idő után lazíthat.
Légkondicionálója a nyár legforróbb napjaira esett, vagy sántított, hogy otthona kényelméért küzdjön? A rutinszerű váltóáram-szolgáltatásban részesülő hűtőrendszer esetében a hővel való lépéstartás egy nap munka.
Olvasson tovább, hogy megtudja, miért számít annyira az AC-karbantartás, és mire kell számítania, amikor a HVAC-szerviz technikusa megérkezik otthonába a szokásos szerviz időpontjára.
Miért elengedhetetlen az AC ellenőrzés?
Először is, a HVAC-szolgáltatás legkritikusabb összetevője az ellenőrzés. Ezt nevezzük AC tuningnak vagy AC ellenőrzésnek is. Tekintse az ellenőrzést úgy, mint otthona fűtési és hűtési rendszerének felülvizsgálatát. Ez egyben az Ön HVAC-berendezésének tesztje is, és adott esetben az egész otthoni levegőtisztító rendszert is magában foglalja.
Sok lakástulajdonos azt feltételezi, hogy az AC karbantartása a levegőszűrő cseréjét és a külső egység tisztítását jelenti, hogy biztosítsa az akadálymentességet. Bár ez is hozzátartozik, értékelni fogja azt a tényt is, hogy technikája alaposan ellenőrzi a mozgó alkatrészeket a biztonsági ellenőrzésekkel együtt.
Ellenőrzés nélkül nem fogja tudni, hogy a HVAC rendszer alkatrészei tiszták-e és elég jó állapotban vannak-e a biztonsági kockázatok elkerüléséhez. Many times small repairs can be identified early before they cause larger, more expensive issues.
Throughout the cooling season, both the indoor and outdoor AC units and your ductwork work hard. They can accumulate dust and debris in some areas. Clogged air filters, for example, are a big cause of AC service calls.
Pests can inflict damage without your ever knowing about it, and power surges, especially in the summer, can wear out electrical parts. Weather can definitely impact the condition of your HVAC system. Don’t forget time—age has a way of causing wear and tear even on the most reliable air conditioners.
Beyond detecting safety issues, inspections often reveal parts that may still work but are close to the end of their useful service life. We’ve all heard the old saying — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure —your HVAC inspection is the best way to prevent small issues from becoming costly problems.
What to expect during an AC service check-up
We’ve already touched on air filters and elimination of dust and dirt, but there’s more to AC service. Each HVAC company uses its own process, but generally, you can expect the technician to check the following AC components:
- Thermostat calibration
- Equipment condition
- Blower components
- Air handler / furnace
- Electrical connections
- Condenser and evaporator coils
- Airflow
- Safety controls
- Refrigerant pressure
- Drip pan and condensate drain lines
When you schedule your HVAC service, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask what your inspection, check-up or tune-up includes. Once they finish, the technician will go over their findings and give you a report, including repair recommendations (if needed) and suggestions to improve performance.
Why regular AC maintenance matters
Going back to how well your AC performed this spring, summer and fall provides at least a partial answer to the question of why you should consider keeping up with maintenance. If your system hummed along and kept you comfortable, it isn’t just luck.
HVAC maintenance scheduled twice a year, in the spring and in the fall means less chance of a surprise breakdown. Who wants to wake up in the middle of a steamy night and realize the AC isn’t working? The same thought process works during the colder months when you rely on the heating components of your system to keep you warm.
When you prioritize routine care for your HVAC system, breakdowns will not impact your comfort the way they do for homeowners who put off scheduling a check-up or fail to see the importance of regular maintenance.
What about AC repairs?
When you schedule AC maintenance, you can expect the services we’ve already mentioned — inspection of equipment and cleaning system components. As far as repairs, those are considered additional services.
Even with routine maintenance, HVAC system parts wear out. In most cases, your technician will be able to replace faulty parts and make repairs the same day they come for your maintenance appointment.
The point of regular AC service is to catch issues early before they cause breakdowns. If your technician finds anything in need of repair or replacement, you’ll have that information and their recommendations before they begin any work.
The critical takeaway is that maintenance twice a year minimizes the number of repairs your system needs, and often gives you time to budget if the technician discovers something that could fail soon.
Age and your cooling system
Heating and cooling system manufacturers continually improve their equipment. They offer higher quality, longer-lasting systems, and with regular care, your AC unit can give you 12 to 15 years of service.
If your AC is older and still cools your home efficiently, count yourself blessed. If you’re not the first owner, it could mean the previous resident understood the impact of keeping the system finely tuned.
At some point, even the most reliable AC unit can no longer keep up with the needs of your household. Age is something your technician will keep an eye on and let you know long beforehand that a replacement is in your future.
When it happens, you’ll want a qualified HVAC company to take care of the replacement and installation of your new air conditioner. They can help you demystify all the options available to make your home comfortable. Will it include a new heat pump, a mini-split AC or a central air and heating system? They can tell you about the latest new features and technology that might make sense.
They should be able to tell you more about the efficiency of the AC systems they recommend. The newest variable speed Carrier systems for example are so much more efficient than a decade ago that replacing your system can actually save you money in the long run. In fact, would it surprise to learn that Carrier offers some of the most efficient HVAC systems (up to 26 SEER in their Infinity system series) on the residential market today?
Once you establish a maintenance relationship with your AC service company, you’ll likely feel like you’re part of the family. That’s something to treasure, especially when you need to replace your cooling system.
Peace of mind and your HVAC maintenance plan
Who doesn’t crave a little peace of mind these days? You might not be able to solve the problems of the world, but when you invest in an HVAC maintenance plan, you can make a difference in the performance and useful life of your heating and cooling system.
With a maintenance plan, you’ll not only know who to call for AC service, but also you’ll have fewer reasons to reach out for unexpected repairs. If we were to offer a list of the most effective AC maintenance tips, having a maintenance plan in place would take the top spot.
AC service with a smile
If you’re searching for reliable AC service in Southwest Houston, Richmond, Katy, and Fulshear, Texas and surrounding areas, Terry’s A/C &Heating is ready to be your trusted partner. Call Summer at (281) 495-7830 to get on the day’s schedule. We perform AC inspections and tune-ups in the spring and heater checks in the fall. We also offer an HVAC maintenance plan to our customers to give them peace of mind. We’d love to welcome you to the family!