Your air conditioner is the most expensive item to repair within your home. If you have a central air conditioner, repairing it could cost thousands of dollars. Some of the major mechanical parts in your system might be covered, but there are plenty of parts that are not. When you have to call for air conditioning repair, your budget might be in for a hit. If you want to avoid calling for air conditioning repair as much as you can, the best thing you can do is maintain your air conditioner properly.
Central air conditioners have two separate components known as the condenser and the evaporator. The condenser is the unit located on the outside of your house, generally on a concrete slab. The evaporator is the part of the air conditioner that is inside and it can generally be found mounted on the air duct near the furnace. Most air conditioner force air through the distribution system in the home and they use the same ductwork as the heater uses. When the system works well, the hot air will go into the furnace to be cooled and then, once the evaporator coil cools it, it will be returned into the home through the air ducts. When the air is coming out, but it is not cool, you might have a problem with the distribution system itself.
Since both portions of the air conditioning units are sealed, you will need an air conditioning repair company to do most of the maintenance items you desire to have done, other than basic routine cleanings. You will want to make sure you have your unit inspected by a professional from the air conditioning repair company each year before you start to use it. This will help ensure that your unit will work well all summer and it could help catch any problems that would become major issues if not fixed early. The maintenance of your unit should not end with the air conditioning repair company, however. You will want to keep up with your system yourself to make sure it operates as its height of efficiency.
One thing you can do on a regular basis on your own is clean the evaporator coil. The coil is located above the furnace and you will need to clean it once a year. First, move the foil-wrapped insulation, which is usually in place with tape. Then, take the screws off the access plate and clean the underside of the coil with a stiff brush. You can use a mirror to see if you have done a good job. You can also clean the tray that sits below the evaporator and then put the unit back into place. Every little thing you do to help maintain your unit will help it go a long way in the heat.
