When it comes to heating and cooling your home, maintenance and service matters. It’s especially important when it comes to air conditioning systems, which need to be serviced regularly to operate reliably and at peak efficiency.
At 128 Plumbing, air conditioning service is a major part of what we do. Our major focus is on central air conditioning units for your entire home, but we’re also experts on servicing individual units as well.
Here’s what you need to know about how frequently to service these units, and what’s involved when you do.
Air Conditioning Maintenance in Greater Boston
So what’s the simple answer to the air conditioning service question? For most cooling and ac systems, you should get a tune up at least once every year.
But there’s more involved in servicing these units. It’s important to know when to schedule your air conditioning system for service, and usually the best time is in the spring.
There are several reasons for this. You can run your system effectively in the spring without having to worry about issues associated with cold weather, and a spring service tune up preps your system right before you’ll be using it most.
Many companies offer discounts on spring service, knowing their demand will be higher when summer starts, so make sure you check out what companies like 128 Plumbing are offering.
How HVAC Service Works for Air Conditioning?
If your air conditioning system is in decent shape and you’ve been servicing it regularly, a typical service appointment will take 1-2 hours.
That amount of time may go up if your air conditioning unit hasn’t been serviced in a while, or if it’s older and in rough shape.
Cost
Most people want to know how much a typical air conditioning service will cost. The answer is between $100 and $200 for a normal unit.
One way to reduce or mitigate this cost is to get on an HVAC maintenance plan. We offer these at 128 Plumbing, and they can save you a lot of money.
You’ll get the lowest possible price for regular maintenance, and we’ll be able to spot potential repairs in advance.
Air conditioner efficiency assessment
When you get your air conditioning system serviced, it’s important to evaluate the energy efficiency of the unit.
Air conditioning technology has advanced significantly in the last few years, so it may be time for an upgrade that will save you a significant amount of money.
An energy assessment from 128 Plumbing will help you make the call about this, so make sure you factor us into your plans.
The Service Process and Typical Air Conditioning Repair
If you are having problems with your air conditioning system and repairs are required, here are some of the most common issues that need to be fixed:
- Filter issues: While some air conditioner repairs can be expensive, cleaning the filters is a quick, inexpensive fix for some air conditioners.
- Thermostat problems: Is your thermostat operating properly when you set it? It should activate your air conditioner quickly and efficiently when you set it for a cooler temperature, but if that’s not happening there may be a different problem involved.
- Breakers and Fuses: These are often the first things an HVAC tech will check during a service appointment, as they keep the motor or compressor from overheating.
- Coolant leaks: The coolant level is also one of the first things an HVAC tech will check. If it’s leaking you’ll have issues, and spotting the source of a leak or a potential leak in advance can be the key to saving hundreds of dollars in repair costs.
- Compressor operation: The compressor drives your air conditioning system. It applies energy to the coolant, and it’s important to have it operating at peak efficiency. If it’s not, getting the repair done right is essential.
- Evaporator and condenser coils: These coils can become corroded or dirty, so you need to have them checked and cleaned annually. Some require less frequent maintenance—think once every three years—but it’s important to at least have them checked as part of a service call.
- Drainage check: Air conditioning systems release water as part of their normal operation, and that water has to be draining properly. Leaks need to be fixed to make sure that water is going where it’s supposed to end up.
- Capacitors, contacts and ancillary parts: Part of a thorough air conditioning service call includes checking these parts to make sure they’re operating properly as part of your air conditioning system.
They may not seem as important as your compressor or the refrigerant, but if they’re not working right, neither will your air conditioning system.
Make Sure Your Air Conditioning is Energy Efficient
Having a highly efficient air conditioning system can save you a lot of money. The efficiency of your air conditioner is expressed as a percentage, and it should be at least 90 percent.
Air conditioning systems tend to lose overall efficiency at a rate of about 5 percent a year, so part of what’s involved in a maintenance call will be an assessment of whether you need an upgrade.
You may also be able to operate your air conditioning unit using a heat pump, which can save you a lot of money.
Service for a Stand-Alone Air Conditioner
If you’re using a stand-alone air conditioner to help cool your home, many of the service procedures are similar or identical. You need to have the filters cleaned, drain the water, use possible deodorizing options, and so on. You also need to do storage as part of your maintenance.
We can do these for you at 128 Plumbing, even though we tend to focus on full-home units. When we do this, we can also assess your home to see if you’re a good candidate for a full-home air conditioning system.
Get Great HVAC Service and Repair in the Greater Boston Area
Evaluating your HVAC system can be confusing when you try and size up all the things you need to have done, but at 128 Plumbing we have years of experience handling AC repair and service.
We can also do a home energy assessment that will help you understand your situation, and we can also make appropriate recommendations about your AC system.
The process starts with a phone call. The numbers are (888) 419-4233 or (781) 670-3261. We’ll answer your questions and guide you through the process, and we can also schedule you for a home evaluation to size up your AC system, then give you an idea of what needs to be done.
Contact 128 Plumbing Today!
To get even more information, you can also go to 128Plumbing.com and start a live chat, and we have some great blogs and articles there to help educate you about air conditioning service and repair and tell you everything you need to know.
