It is easy to forget all about your air conditioner. For a long time, it has done the work that you needed, keeping the home cool and comfortable on those hot summer days. You assume that it is in good shape and nothing needs to be fixed. That is, until the hottest day of the year shows up and you are out of luck because your system stopped working. To make this less likely to happen and to avoid a big emergency in the middle of summer, it is better to have a plan in place and look at getting an air conditioning system checkup often.
But what is an air conditioning system checkup and how much is it going to cost? First, we will look at the checkup. When you call over an HVAC technician to do a system tune-up, they will come and look over the entire system to help find some of the potential problems. Their goal here is to be as thorough as possible so that there is less likely to be some surprises down the road. Some of the things that they will check includes:
- They will look at the HVAC symbols
- Check out the coolant levels to make sure you are set.
- Change out the filters so that nothing gets clogged in there.
- Clean the evaporator coils off to avoid freezing
- Clean out the condenser
- Add some oil to the motor so it is less likely to stick and cause friction.
- Test out the tension in the fan belt to make sure it is good
- Add in some more refrigerant to the system if necessary.
If there does happen to be a problem with the system, then they will help to get it fixed and handled for you during that time. Doing this about once a year can prolong the life of your air conditioner and will keep you nice and cool during the hot summer months.
How Much Does Checking My Air Conditioner Cost?
Now that you know a bit more about what goes on during the check up for your air conditioner, it is now time to look at some of the cost. This is usually the thing that homeowners are going to worry about the most because they are conscious of their budget and do not want to spend too much in the process. The good news is that this often doesn’t cost too much and you will find that it is much less than paying to replace the whole system.
Getting the HVAC in your home serviced will cost between $100 to $200. If the technician finds that there are some issues and some parts on the unit need to be replaced, or they decide that you will need to add more refrigerant, then you will need to pay some extra to get that done.
The age of the unit is going to mater as well. If you do have an older air conditioner that was designed before 2010 and it relies on R-22 refrigerant, then refilling the system can get expensive. This is difficult to find because the United States no longer imports or sells it. You may want to consider whether it is time to update the system and get something that is less expensive and more energy efficient in your home.
As you are looking at some of the costs for checking in on your HVAC system, you may also want to look at the home warranty package. If you have a newer system, you may be able to rely on that to help keep the unit in good working order for longer.
What Other Maintenance Should I Do on My Air Conditioner?
You and a certified technician can sit down and discuss some of the other steps you can take to help make sure that your HVAC system is as good as new. The exact steps that you should complete to make this happen will depend on your system and how old it is at the time. Some tasks to consider here include:
- Thermostat maintenance: Your thermostat is the brain of the whole system and will tell the air conditioner, and the hater, when to turn on and off. You will need to make sure that it is working well and can give a proper temperature reading.
- Coil cleaning: The air conditioner is going to work with both a condenser coil and an evaporator coil to help out. The indoor one will remove the moisture and heat from the home, while the outdoor one is going to cool the refrigerant and return it back to the indoor one. When the coils are dirty, they can no longer do their job efficiently. Having a professional come out and check on them is often best.
- Ductwork cleaning: There are a lot of homes out there that have never gotten the ducts clean. This can make them dirty and have a lot of debris in them. You do not need to replace all of them due to this, but there are a lot of benefits to getting them cleaned out.
- Air filters: Make sure to clean out the air filters often. If they get too clogged, it can cause some strain on the unit and will restrict air flow through the home. The amount of times you will need to do this depends on the unit, the amount you use it, and thee size of your home.
Your air conditioner will become your best friend when the hot weather decides to hit. You do not want to be caught with the unit no longer working on one of the hottest days of the year. Rather than letting that happen, you should consider hiring the professionals to step in and get the work done for you. Our team at Mountainside Air Conditioning Repair is here to help. We know how important that air conditioner is to you, and we want to be there to provide some of the support you are looking for. Don’t suffer in the heat and hope that things will get better. Contact a member of our team today to learn how we can help.
