Air Conditioning Maintenance

Check the filters at least once every month.

Stopped-up coils can lower efficiency, shorten the life of the compressor and increase your energy bill.

One good way to reduce your utility bill is to make sure your air conditioning system receives proper maintenance. It's a good investment to have your air conditioner thoroughly serviced by a professional each year. The service representative should check the condenser coils, the evaporator coils, the blower wheel, the filter, the freon charge, the lubrication and pulleys, the controls, and the electrical contacts. If any of the equipment is dirty or worn out, it should be cleaned or replaced.

Filters trap lint or dust

You should check your filter at least once a month and change it if it's dirty. Clean filters trap lint and dust, preventing your inside coils from becoming clogged.

A blower wheel that's covered with lint and dust will put out fifteen to twenty percent less air. A dirty blower wheel also usually indicates dirty inside coils.

Inspect ducts regularly

Duct leaks can cost you a lot of money. A supply side leak means that conditioned air is going outside, while a leak on the return side causes hot, unfiltered attic air to be drawn into the air conditioner. This puts an extra load on the unit and fouls up the coils. You should inspect ducts regularly for leaks and repair them with high quality material. If insulation is skimpy, add more.

Your service representative should adjust your freon charge to the manufacturer's specifications to reduce energy consumption and insure proper performance by the unit.

In addition to annual servicing, there are other things you can do to make sure your air conditioner functions properly.

Control plant foliage…

Keep plant foliage trimmed back two feet on each side of your outside unit, and at least five feet from the top. Plant foliage restricts air circulation through the outside coils.

Cut the grass around the outside unit when your air conditioner is turned off, make sure that the mower throws the grass clippings away from the coils.

Check your clothes dryer vents, making sure that they don't exhaust directly into the outside coils. You should provide an extension for the vent to direct exhaust air away from the outside unit. Lint stops up the outside coils and the hot air reduces its efficiency.

For more information on air conditioning maintenance, contact your local county Extension office.