A Look at How Air Conditioner Efficiency Suffers from Inadequate Maintenance

Last updated 11 months ago

An inadequately maintained or unmaintained air conditioner is bad news for the homeowner. Air conditioners need thorough tune-ups every year to maintain their cooling performance, energy efficiency, and expected lifespan. Without this service, you could be facing higher energy bills, a less comfortable home, and the need for air conditioner repairs. Learn about the importance of proper maintenance to avoid sweating out a costly air conditioner breakdown this summer.

Reduced Cooling Efficiency

Without regular maintenance, the components of your air conditioning unit will collect and compact dirt and debris, which negatively affects your air conditioner’s ability to cool your home. Over time, a dirty evaporator coil loses its ability to absorb heat and to cool the air that passes over it. Other vital parts of your air conditioner can get dirty too, like the air filters and indoor blower, which both contribute to air flow and cooling performance. Your refrigerant levels also need to be checked. Refrigerant leaks are bad for both your unit’s efficiency and the environment.

Less Energy Efficiency

For every year an air conditioner goes without maintenance, it stands to lose 5% of its energy efficiency, according to Angie’s List. That means, if you’ve skipped out on tune-ups and ignored maintenance problems for three years, your air conditioner could be running 15% less efficiently than it should. During a tune-up, a technician helps resolve these problems by inspecting and cleaning the dirty components of your air conditioner, testing its Freon levels, and checking its electrical components.

Complete Breakdown

Failure to maintain your air conditioner means failure to maintain its electrical controls as well. Without an air conditioner tune-up, the system’s electrical wires and terminals are prone to erosion. This could cause connections to loosen or short-out all together, resulting in breakdowns and costly repairs.

Service Legends is your best choice for air conditioner inspections, tune-ups, and repair services. We’re also a furnace contractor and repair service. Call (515) 657-6588 today and ask us about our current discount special for air conditioner tune-ups.