Having a central cooling system for your home or office building is a worthy investment. Who doesn’t want to feel comfortable year-round? But without scheduled maintenance, your AC could unexpectedly fail during the hottest time of the year.
If you’re already sitting in comfort, having your air conditioning inspected might seem unnecessary. It’s probably not even something that comes to mind. Yet HVAC systems are complex. They get dirty and need lubricants. Plus, there’s a lot of different parts that need to work together.
Without proper maintenance, your AC may be functioning less efficiently, using more energy than the norm, and not able to maintain optimal temperatures. Stress on the system will shorten its lifespan.
While we’re always ready to provide emergency HVAC services, ideally your HVAC system runs efficiently and effectively without any costly surprises. The nominal cost of having your air conditioning unit inspected and tuned-up annually pales in comparison to an expensive AC repair from lack of air conditioner maintenance.
Air Conditioning Unit Repair and Maintenance
An AC Tune-up will include an examination of your air ducts, testing to make sure there isn’t a buildup of dust and dirt and to make sure there are no air leaks or bad seals. Gaps or small cracks in your HVAC system can cause your air conditioning to lose efficiency. That means higher monthly bills.
A trained heating and cooling professional will be able to recognize troubling areas in your HVAC system and where air conditioning repairs are needed.
Air conditioning units have many parts that all play a vital role in their ability to continue working correctly and efficiently.
What is an AC Unit Inspection?
A trained HVAC technician will check the levels of refrigerant in your AC unit and ensure that it isn’t leaking refrigerant.
Condenser coils will be cleared of any dirt and dust buildup, which can impact the unit’s efficiency.
The contactor switch (the on/off) will be checked for continuity to make sure it’s in good condition and getting the voltage it needs. The contactor coil will be checked for proper ohms resistance.
A professional technician can make sure the AC unit’s thermostat is functioning and calibrated to maintain consistently comfortable temperatures in your home. The fan and the transformer will be checked to make sure they’re working well together, cycling on and off. The condensate pump will be checked to ensure water is drained away from the system.
Of course, the HVAC technician should also check all wirings and the filters. You can see there’s an extensive list of parts in a home cooling system and the more parts, the more chance of something going wrong. Annual inspections and air conditioning tune-ups can help make sure that doesn’t happen.
Prevent Air Conditioning Unit Emergencies
An HVAC maintenance plan can protect your home’s heating and cooling system and help keep HVAC its components operating efficiently longer. We offer several heating and cooling maintenance plans to fit a range of coverages and budgets.
Should I Replace or Repair My AC Unit?
Of course, any cooling unit can be repaired. It just might cost more to repair your cooling unit than have a new air conditioning system installed.
If there’s an issue with your cooling system that requires a few replacement parts and not a lot of service time, choose “AC repair” rather than “AC replace”. But if the coolant is an issue, it may end up being better to choose “AC replace”. The Environmental Protection Agency banned the manufacturing and import of R22 (freon) at the start of this year. Recharging or replacing that coolant will become very expensive, and freon is classified as an ozone-depleting substance.
Lastly, have you remodeled your home since the air conditioning system was installed? If you’ve changed the size of rooms or added on to your home, your AC unit may no longer be large enough to keep your home comfortably cool.
Repair costs will likely cost less than a replacement, but when repairs are needed consistently, the cost to maintain the coolant is bound to continuing rising, and if the cooling unit’s efficiency is compromised, replacing your home’s AC unit is the most feasible choice.
Air Conditioning Unit Installations
Even if your unit is working sufficiently after minor repairs, a new unit may have long-term cost-saving benefits from needing half the electricity to perform well.
How Much Does an AC Unit Cost?
There isn’t really an accurate median price to offer when it comes to replacing an air conditioning unit. You could say an AC installation costs an average between $1,500-$9,000, but it depends on where you live, your home’s square footage, your existing HVAC setup, and the installation labor rates in your areas.
If you decide you want to replace your cooling unit with a new one or have one installed in a home without central air, you’ll need to choose which type of central air conditioner to get.
Window units are a low-cost option and they don’t require professional installation. However, central air conditioning units are preferred and can actually add value to your home.
Ductless air conditioning units are wall-mounted indoors and connected to an outside compressor. They’re less visible than a window unit and much quieter. They can be very efficient, but if you already have an HVAC system in place, it’s better to choose a traditional central air conditioning unit. An HVAC professional can help you decide the best solution for your cooling needs.
Air Purification & Safety
Are you looking for safe and powerful solutions to pollutants in your home? A powerful air purifier might be the answer. Aerus Air Scrubbers can be added to the existing HVAC system to purify the air in your home. This is a patented system with its origins in the NASA space program. Installing an air purification system can eliminate airborne bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other pollutants that threaten your health.
Added to your existing ductwork, it cleans, deodorizes, and purifies the air in your home or office. Some Aerus models can eliminate up to 90% of airborne microorganisms, as well as 99% of surface contaminants including viruses, bacteria, mold, and pollen.
Call Young’s Home Comfort to learn more about our air conditioning service and installations, and more about air purification options, before summer’s sweltering days and oppressive pollen arrive.