If you own an air conditioner – and living in Portland, OR, you likely do – then it behooves you to schedule a maintenance plan at least once a year and maybe more often than that. These tune-up sessions will help prevent possible breakdowns by spotting big problems while they’re still small. In addition, a maintenance plan will help lower your monthly bills by helping you air conditioner function more efficiently. If you haven’t scheduled a maintenance session in a while, you should do so immediately. It will help it perform better and maybe cut down some of those high energy bills for the rest of the summer. Here’s a brief outline of the steps involved in an air conditioning maintenance plan:
- Cleaning. Dirt and dust are cleaned off of major components, especially the evaporator coils, which don’t function as well when they get dirty.
- Tightening. Loose screws and bolts are tightened, as are electrical fittings. That will keep components from rattling in their housings, which increases wear and adds to inefficiency.
- Refrigerant. Refrigerant levels are checked and recharged if necessary. Proper refrigerant balance is key to maintaining efficiency.
- Lubrication. Any moving parts are oiled and lubricated to prevent friction.
- Air filters. Any used air filters will be cleaned or replaced with fresh ones.
- Drain Pan. The drain pan is examined for misalignment and the drain line cleared if it is clogged. These components capture moisture from the cooling process and can leak water if they’re clogged or damaged.
- Electrical Connections. Wires and connectors are checked for wear and tested to ensure that they’re still functioning as they should.
- Final Test. Once everything is done, the air conditioner will be run for fifteen minutes to ensure that there are no problems.
If signs of more serious trouble pop up during this process, the technician can schedule a more formal repair session. Call the experts at The Clean Air Act for more details!