The Best Time to Schedule A/C Maintenance
Surviving an Arizona summer involves a lot of water, a generous amount of shade, and lots and lots of air conditioning. Whether It’s your first summer in the Valley of the Sun, or you’re a seasoned vet, it’s important to make sure your air conditioner is up for the challenge. The best way to accomplish that is with a maintenance tune-up visit. The first few months of the year, from late winter to spring, are the best time to schedule A/C maintenance. Here are three reasons why:
1. You’ll beat the heat (and the rush)
When the summer sun is out in full force, the last thing you want to worry about is A/C maintenance. It’s best to have your system maintained before it must deal with the increased demand and wear and tear from the summer heat. After all, going without air conditioning when its 110 degrees outside for even a couple of hours can be excruciating, and that’s exactly what could happen if your poorly maintained system suffers an emergency breakdown.
Plus, scheduling maintenance in the spring ensures you’ll beat the rush of homeowners trying to squeeze into the schedule right before summer. You’ll likely have more flexibility when it comes to your preferred date and time, and you won’t have to rush to accommodate a late appointment in your busy schedule.
At Chas Roberts, we encourage our customers to schedule maintenance early, as our 26-point maintenance inspections are not available between June and the beginning of September. When the summer heat is at it’s peak, you won’t want to get caught without a working air conditioner, so schedule maintenance as far in advance as you can.
2. You can lower your energy bills before the sweltering summer
When your system hasn’t been maintained in while, it’ll need to harness more energy to cool your home effectively. A problem like a refrigerant leak or a dirty filter combined with the demands of the summer adds up to one expensive utility bill. You can save yourself some money by scheduling maintenance to identify and fix any problems before they interfere with summer cooling.
3. It’s a great way to jumpstart an HVAC spring cleaning
Spring cleaning is just as important for your HVAC system as it is for your home. Keeping your system clean can ensure that it stays at proper operating efficiency. If you let dust and dirt build up, it can reduce efficiency by up to 5% each year. Maintenance is a great way to give your system the fresh start it needs to face the summer season.
Along with a thorough maintenance visit with a professional, there are things you can do around the house to keep your system running smoothly. These include:
Changing your filters
Spring cleaning is the perfect time to change your filters. A dirty or blocked air filter can cause your system to turn on and off repeatedly and keep your home from reaching a comfortable temperature. We recommended cleaning or replacing your filters every 60 days at a minimum. If people in your home suffer from severe allergies or asthma, or if you have pets, consider changing your filters more frequently to keep the air as clean as possible.
Cleaning the area around your outdoor unit
Your outdoor unit is exposed to everything from fallen branches and leaves to dust, dirt, and debris. You can give it a little TLC by vacuuming the exterior fins or using a hose to wash away dust on the surface. While cleaning, make sure that plants and weeds aren’t covering the unit—they can cause damage and interfere with efficiency.
Make sure and turn off the power to the unit before you attempt any sort of cleaning. Usually, you can do this by using the shutoff switch, level, or fuse box nearby. If there isn’t one, you can turn off the power using your home’s main circuit breaker.
Change your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries
You may overlook your smoke detector if it’s suddenly beeping in the middle of the night, telling you its batteries are dead. But it’s a good habit to get into replacing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors each spring. This ensures your home is always protected.
Checking for holes and gaps in the weather stripping and window caulking in your home
Window caulking and weather stripping are designed to keep cold air in, and hot air out, of your home. But they can wear out over time. When hot air continually enters your home, your air conditioner needs to work harder to cool things down. This increases your energy usage and can lead to your home never quite feeling like it reached the temperature you wanted it to.
One way to check for any hidden gaps requires only two people, a flashlight, and the dark night sky. Have one person stand outside the door or window while another shines a flashlight at its frame. If the person outside sees any light streaming through, you’ll know where to apply weather-stripping or caulking. If they don’t see any light, but you still notice problems with cooling, it’s worth treating every window or door in the room as a potential air escape route.
Plan ahead: Stay on top of maintenance with the MVP Plan
The MVP Plan maintenance agreement consists of a two annual system tune-up appointments—one for the cooling season, and one for the heating season. The MVP Plan meets or exceeds manufacturer and extended warranty requirements and surpasses ENERGY STAR® recommendations.
With the plan, you’ll enjoy priority service when it comes to scheduling, as well as exclusive savings, 24-hour emergency response times, and more. It’s an easy way to take the stress out of HVAC maintenance, and make your system runs at its best all year long. The plan is also transferable to a new homeowner, giving you one less thing to check off your moving checklist.
A/C maintenance and more: Chas Roberts
Whether your air conditioner is due for annual maintenance, or you’ve got a problem with airflow, air quality, or cooling, trust the experts at Chas Roberts. We understand how important a well-functioning air conditioner is, which is why we provide superior service with a smile to households throughout the Valley. Contact us for help with all your air conditioning needs.
