Why Repeat Breakdown Costs Show You Need Regular AC Maintenance
The Homeowner’s Guide to AC Maintenance: Ending the Cycle of Yearly Repairs
As a homeowner, it is very frustrating to go through the inconvenience of an air conditioner breakdown, wait for the technician to arrive and make the repair, only to experience the same discomfort and incur the same cost the next year. Such repeat performance issues are also expensive, costing hundreds or thousands of dollars.
What can be done about this occurrence?
- Understanding what can cause repeat repairs
- Understanding how to avoid these issues in the future
Short Cycling: How System Sizing Impacts Your AC Maintenance
If a home has an oversized air conditioner system, it can lead to repeated problems. An oversized air conditioner cools a home too quickly, a condition called “short cycling”. That might sound good, but the air conditioner is also removing humidity from the air. A short cycle does not have sufficient time to remove moisture from the air inside the home. A short cycle also forces the air conditioner to cycle more often. Capacitors and other controllers switch ON/OFF more frequently and wear more quickly. This HVAC system design flaw will eventually lead to a shorter useful life for the entire system.
Ask your All Cool AC Maintenance technician to complete a J-Load Calculation to properly size the cooling and heating equipment necessary to service your home. Compare the results of the J-Load to your current system. If your system is oversized, make sure to install the properly sized equipment during the next replacement.
The same is true if your system is too small for your home. You will want to evaluate the cost of your utility bills versus the replacement cost. Your energy consumption may be unnecessarily high, and a larger system could reduce your monthly electricity bill by a substantial amount.
Complications of Rushing Your Routine AC Maintenance Appointment
Avoid focusing on speed during repairs. Two things can result from being in a hurry. First, the technician and the homeowner can be more interested in getting the air conditioner running again than to thoroughly diagnosing the problem and completing proper repairs. The inconvenience of doing without air conditioning clouds the real underlying problem.
Second, the cost and inconvenience of follow-up investigation can lead homeowners and AC maintenance technicians to skip steps that uncover the real issues that result in loss of function. Replacing a capacitor might camouflage the real problem—a power surge that damaged both the capacitor and circuit board. It is best to take the time for a complete investigation and analysis to examine any underlying issues.
Allow the All Cool AC Maintenance technician to complete the necessary testing to ensure the problem is fixed the first time.
Houston Humidity and Your HVAC System: Critical Checkpoints for Local AC Maintenance
Understand the impact of local environmental issues. Our area has very high temperatures and very high humidity. Comfort is not the only issue at stake: high relative humidity indoors can lead to damaged finish surfaces (paints and wood finishes), mold and mildew growth, and musty smells throughout the home. All Cool AC Maintenance technicians will pay special attention to cleaning both condenser and evaporator coils, cleaning the drain pan and drain lines. Local high humidity can also lead to corrosion of electrical controls and wiring, especially outdoors.
A Vital Part of Coastal AC Maintenance
The closer that you live to the coast, the more you need to be aware of the corroding effects of salt air on metal parts and components. Salt exposure causes pitting on metal components, including the condenser coil installed outside. While there might not be anything that you can do about this effect, knowing that it exists will help when it comes to repairs.
Repair vs. Replacement: Tracking Your System’s Lifespan Through Routine AC Maintenance
An air conditioner is a mechanical system with a limited useful lifespan. The average system lasts between 15 and 20 years, but in an environment that includes high temperatures, high humidity, plenty of pollen, and the extended use due to Houston’s extended cooling season, consider that your system might be on the lower range of that average. Be very judicious about decisions to repair compared to a complete AC replacement.
Schedule Your Expert AC Maintenance Today to Avoid Future Breakdowns
Don’t let another summer catch you off guard with unexpected cooling costs and repetitive system failures. Taking care of your heating and cooling system now saves you stress, time, and money down the road. Call the All Cool AC & Heating team of expert technicians at 281-238-9292 right now to book your comprehensive AC maintenance appointment, or simply fill out our online contact form to get started right away!