What’s Involved in an A/C Tune-Up?

Regular maintenance for your heating and air conditioning units is extremely important. The people who don’t realize this are often those whose systems unexpectedly break down, leaving them without any heating or air conditioning during some of the most uncomfortable times of year (ie. Long weekends when the extended family has come to visit, you run out of propane and have to use the oven, and it’s too hot to send the kids outside. Uncomfortable is an understatement.)

For the amount it costs to schedule a professional tune-up, the return on your investment can be huge. Besides helping avoid unexpected breakdowns, tune-ups are important for helping your unit recover lost efficiency, operate more safely, increase the overall lifespan of the unit, improve your overall level of comfort, and reduce your operating expenses. Ideally your heating and air conditioning systems should be inspected at least once a year.

What Goes Into an A/C Tune-Up and Professional Cleaning

A thorough tune-up should include the following:

• A comprehensive cleaning of the condenser coils. Doing so increases efficiency (which directly impacts energy costs) and can reduce the wear and tear on your system.
• Evaluation of the coolant level to help maintain peak operating performance. Lubrication of all moving parts to eliminate friction and wear that can increase your energy costs.
• A full calibration of your thermostat to verify proper operation.
• Tightening and inspection of all the electrical connections to verify safe system operation.
• Evaluate performance of the blower motor and the condition of the blower belt.

Source: Homeservice Club of Canada