When the temperatures rise and the humidity increases, many people retreat into their homes to relax in the air conditioning. If the unit stops working, however, those unpleasant temperatures can creep into the house and make for an uncomfortable, and even unsafe, atmosphere.
One way to avoid such issues is to schedule regular maintenance. However, you may then be wondering how often you should schedule service and maintenance for your air conditioner. There are a couple of common approaches that you can take. You need to consider the specific needs of your home’s air conditioning system as well though.
Two Common Approaches
Many people schedule service and maintenance for their air conditioning units once per year. When scheduling your appointment, take into account when you typically use the air conditioning for the first time each year. Make sure to schedule the appointment before that time. Keep in mind that plenty of other clients are also going to be scheduling appointments for around the same time. Book your appointment early to avoid having to wait and to get your desired service slot.
Another common approach is to get service completed at both the start and the end of the hot season. Once you are ready to turn your unit off for the fall, schedule another service appointment. This appointment can reveal any issues that are starting to come up, which allows you to take care of the problem well in advance of the next hot season. The service professionals can also provide you with instructions for maintaining and protecting the unit.
Presence of Problems
While scheduling service for once or twice per year is a common approach, this strategy doesn’t work for every home air conditioning system. Consider variables that are specific to your air conditioning unit. One variable to consider is if your unit is experiencing any problems. If the air conditioning is no longer bringing your house down to the temperature that it once did or if you’re hearing strange noises coming from the unit, schedule service now.
You might be tempted to wait until later in the season when you schedule an appointment before turning off the unit. However, by that time, the problem could have grown worse, which means that repairing the issue might cost a lot of money or that you have to replace the unit.
Age of the System
The age of your air conditioning unit can also dictate how regularly service is needed. In general, an older unit needs to be serviced more frequently than a newer unit. Younger air conditioning systems can have features and functions that help to combat certain common problems.
Older systems may need the help of a specialist in terms of resolving these issues. Also, as with any home appliance or unit, years of usage cause wear and tear on the system. Speaking with your air conditioning technician about how often to have your unit serviced based on its age is a smart decision.
Terms of Your Maintenance Agreement
You might also have signed up for a maintenance agreement when you first had the air conditioning unit installed. Make sure to review and stick to the terms of the agreement. For example, the maintenance agreement might entitle you to have service completed twice per year. When the unit is still relatively new, you might feel as though you don’t want to bother with the second visit. However, since the service is included in your agreement, you may as well get the unit looked at by a professional.
Also, you should check to see if there are any penalties for skipping service. The agreement could stipulate that in order to lock in certain prices, you might have to stick to a regular service plan. In other words, if you skip one of your planned service appointments without rescheduling, you might have to pay higher prices if one of the unit’s parts breaks down or if the system stops functioning.
Dr. HVAC Inc is available to help you with all of your air conditioning needs. Our team members serve the Margate area and the surrounding communities, and we work on both air conditioning and heating systems. We offer repair, maintenance, and installation services. You can also sign up for a maintenance agreement or take advantage of our financing plans. We offer emergency services as well. Our team members are available to work on both commercial and residential properties. Contact Dr. HVAC Inc today to speak with a representative and to book an appointment.
