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How Often Should AC Units be Maintained in Clearwater, FL?

One Hour AC Tech working on AC Unit Outside of Home Taking Off FanYou’ve probably heard that it’s best to have Clearwater air conditioners serviced every year. But is it really necessary? The short answer is yes, but only if you value your cooling system investment.

Skipping a tune-up here and there won’t typically destroy a new AC unit in one fell swoop. Rather, it will diminish the system’s cooling capacity bit by bit until something clearly goes wrong and you’re calling for air conditioning repair instead of AC maintenance.

How Does Skipping Service Calls Affect My AC?

Clogged filters are the number one reason for most AC breakdowns. An annual service visit includes a filter replacement, but you may need a filter replacement more often.

Clearwater air conditioning filters typically require more frequent replacements because they work longer seasons with longer hours compared to air conditioners in Chicago, IL, for example.

Clogged Air Filters

Air filters are tasked with an important job. They keep tiny contaminants from penetrating the system, polluting indoor air and gumming up the works. After a year of hard work, a clogged filter can become so thick that it blocks airflow completely and shuts down the unit altogether.

A clogged filter can reduce static air pressure in the ductwork which, in turn, can cause uneven cooling such as drafts and hot spots throughout the house.

To prevent this disagreeable outcome, it’s best to check your air filter every three months. You can swap out the filter yourself between maintenance visits, or you can have it done for you during service calls.

Clogged Condensate Drain

After almost a year of hard work, the condensate drain can get blocked with algae and slimy muck that prevents moisture from draining out of the system.

A blockage in the drain will cause moisture to back up into the AC system where it can cause the coils to freeze up, the unit to overheat, and the air conditioner to shut down.

As part of an annual tune-up, your service technician will clean out the condensate drain pipe so that moisture can safely drain from the system.

Will I Miss Out On Cost Savings Benefits?

Paying for a tune-up may seem like an expense, but it’s actually an investment with an excellent return. When it’s time to sell your home, a regularly serviced air conditioner will offer more value than a neglected unit.

  • Industry studies reveal that annual air conditioning maintenance can prevent up to 95% of unexpected HVAC breakdowns.
  • Additional research in commercial settings showed that air conditioning units that received annual tune-ups were able to reduce their operating costs by up to 40%.
  • Serviced units lasted longer than AC systems that weren’t serviced. The investigators attributed the longer service life to the annual maintenance the units received.
  • Warranty coverage requires annual maintenance. If something goes wrong with your new air conditioner, you won’t be covered for replacement.

Mushrooming Energy Bills

Are your electricity bills increasing for no apparent reason? Spotty maintenance can be to blame, and the costs tend to increase over time instead of jumping from low to high usage.

Clogs of any kind restrict airflow and force the AC to work harder. They are much more likely to develop in air conditioners that are not cleaned and serviced every year.

You can skip maintenance, but you’re taking a risk. What you save on skipping maintenance might cause the unit to run so inefficiently that you pay more in energy bills than you saved with spotty maintenance.

Performance Issues

High-performance air conditioners are a must in places like Clearwater, FL, where the weather is hot and humid most of the year. An air conditioner with performance issues can be almost as bad as having no AC at all.

Skipping maintenance will always decrease performance, and sometimes the decrease in performance can be significant. On the other hand, investing in scheduled maintenance can significantly improve performance with just one visit and head off potential performance problems before they start.

Regular tune-ups also improve indoor air quality. The more efficiently the unit performs, the greater the airflow and the more the air is filtered.

The longer you wait to have your AC system serviced, the greater the potential for something to go wrong. You might hear banging noises, buzzing sounds, or knocking. On the other hand, you might notice moldy odors or burning smells. If things get that bad, we suggest that you have the unit serviced at once to keep things from getting any worse.

Do you need more convincing evidence that One Hour Air Conditioning can restore your air conditioner to a like-new condition? Visit us online to learn more.