Spring Into Action With An
Air Conditioning Check-Up

By Wally Warrantech

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is definitely true, especially if that ounce keeps your air conditioning or heat pump from breaking down in the middle of summer. Preventive maintenance will save you money on emergency repair costs and higher-than-normal energy bills, so if you haven’t had your air conditioning system checked out regularly, it might be a cool idea to give it some attention.

Here are some basic areas that need periodic inspection to keep your comfortable – and your energy bills as low as possible – in the summer.

Change your filter regularly. What does changing your filter have to do with air conditioning? Everything. Proper air movement is critical for your system to operate at optimum efficiency. A dirty air filter drastically reduces the air moving through your conditioning system, so check your filter monthly and change as needed.

Clean the indoor and outdoor coils. A dirty coil can also restrict airflow. The indoor coil is the part of your air conditioner removes heat from your house, and the outdoor coil is the part of your system that ejects the heat outside. Just 100th of an inch of dirt on the coil can reduce your system’s efficiency by 5%. If you haven’t had your coils cleaned in a while, it would be a good idea to do so. You should have the indoor blower fan checked as well.

Also keep plants and debris away from the outside unit. Your unit needs to “breathe” to get rid of the heat it removed from the inside of your house. Too-close landscaping; objects leaning or stacked on the outside unit; or decks built right over the outside unit can cause rejected heat to re-circulate back into the unit. This makes your air conditioner work harder – and your energy bills go up.

Have the Freon level in your system checked. Freon is the substance that flows from the indoor to the outdoor coil and transfers the heat out of your house. A proper amount of Freon is critical to the efficient operation of your system. Too little or too much Freon is bad for your air conditioner. A qualified air conditioning technician will be able to check your system to determine if it has the proper amount. And as a special precaution…don’t assume that because your house is new that your air conditioner comes with the right amount of Freon as well.

Anything that is properly maintained will last longer, and heating and air conditioning systems are no different. That is why I recommend having a seasonal check-up at the beginning of every Spring. Every cost-conscious homeowner needs an annual check up to:

1. Clean and adjust the thermostat
2. Check voltage and amperage to all motors
3. Check air flow across the indoor cooling coil
4. Lubricate all moving parts (unless permanently sealed)
   Check the air filters
5. Check air flow across the outdoor coil
6. Check the indoor fan relay
7. Check the compressor contactor
8. Check electrical wiring and connections
9. Ensure the condensate drain is open
10. Check the indoor coil
11. Check operating pressures
12. Check temperature drop across the indoor coil
13. Check indoor coil super-heat
14. Check outdoor sub-cooling
15. Check reversing valve (heat pump only)
16. Check defrost control (heat pump only)
17. Check the outdoor coil

Your once of prevention will be worth it when the weather gets hot and you want to stay cool – without wasting energy dollars! If you have a home warranty from Warrantech, a seasonal check up is even easier. Just call 1-800-723-1496, and Warrantech will make all arrangements for you. Never has been keeping cool been so easy…and affordable!