back to blog

The High Cost of Last Minute Repairs & the Benefits of Professional AC Maintenance

There is almost nothing more frustrating to a homeowner than when an air conditioning or heating unit bites the bullet. The signs may have been there for a while; your air conditioning or heating unit may have started sliding in performance a few months ago, not heating to the temperature at which you set it, not cooling your home for hours – if at all. Suddenly, the cost of repairing or replacing your heating or air conditioning unit is more than you expected and much more than you can afford. You were not prepared to make this decision at this time, but it’s hot (or cold!) outside, and you can’t wait.

There are a couple of questions to ask yourself here. Could this breakdown have been avoided? The signs were there; did you pay attention to them? If so, could you have done an inspection or kept up regular maintenance? If you can answer yes to any of the questions, here is some advice.

There is a way this approach of “fixing as you go” can be avoided. Many people wait to fix or replace something once it breaks or dies. However, the longevity of a device can be increased through proper maintenance and regular inspection. If you spent thousands of dollars on your air conditioning or heating unit at one time, you should take the time and put in the effort to make sure that money was well spent. In addition, an inefficient air conditioning or heating unit can cost you thousands of dollars in energy costs – energy that you’re not necessarily using. It is important to have a Phoenix air conditioning professional do routine maintenance and tune-ups on your AC or heating unit. But how can you benefit from this?

A certified air conditioning professional can do a semi-annual maintenance tune-up on your AC unit to ensure that your unit is in proper working order. Among other things, he will be sure to do the following:

• inspect all electrical components, test all capacitors, clean condenser coil
• test all motors
• add up to 1 pound of freon, if needed
• measure temperatures outdoors and indoors and test the temperature split
• inspect static pressure, your thermostat, coils and ductwork

All parts of your unit will be inspected and tested. A Phoenix air conditioning expert will ensure no details are left uncovered. While it’s a good idea to hire an expert to do this every now and then, an annual maintenance program will benefit you more in the long run, especially here in Arizona, where many of us use our air conditioning for months at a time. Proper care and upkeep are especially important and useful here.

An annual maintenance program can extend the life of your central air system and save you money annually in energy costs. An annual air conditioner maintenance program from a Phoenix air conditioning company such as Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electrical will also cover heating and plumbing tune-ups – areas essential to keeping your home in comfortable and safe tip-top shape.

An annual maintenance tune-up focuses on issues that can cause inefficiency, dirty, allergy-sensitive air and high energy costs such as the following:

• Dirty indoor coils (which can produce dirty air!)
• Dirty condenser coils
• Electrical components that may not be working or that may have melted
• Electrical components such as capacitors that are prone to shorts
• Rust

Here in Phoenix, it’s good to make sure your AC is in proper working order long before the heat starts. After a cool winter, the heat of the desert begins very quickly – sometimes before you know it, and there are times you might want to use your air conditioner in the early spring. An annual check-up will ensure that by the time temperatures hit 85 and over, your unit is ready to work and cool your home – and work even better when the temperatures soar come summer, the most important time to keep your home cool and comfortable.

Come winter, a solid heating unit should be ready and waiting to be used. It’s important to make sure your heating unit hasn’t experienced any downfalls or issues while it was in disuse. This is where the benefits of an annual maintenance program continue throughout the year.

Not only does regular air conditioning and heating unit maintenance save you money throughout the year, but it also helps to keep the air quality of your home pure and breathable. Low air quality can lead to allergies, sickness, and discomfort. An AC or heating unit in proper working order will produce high-flowing, dirt-free air quality for you and the members of your home to breathe easily.