First Day of Spring Means A/C Inspection Time

Some of us prefer the warmer climate of the year, others prefer the colder temps. Regardless of which you like best, in South Carolina we experience both types each year, and most times the weather in SC changes from day to day. Our motto is, “Just wait a minute, the weather will change.” This winter has been long and hard compared to others in the past. Our winters are normally mild with little to no snow but so far we’ve experienced a much longer winter with two ice storms and needless to say, we’re ready for Spring!

When March finally comes, even if it brings no actual respite from winter, we know the first official day of Spring is coming! That has to mean something, right? Even if it isn’t yet, one of the major events and traditions of Spring should be having an annual maintenance inspection performed on your air conditioner.

Your air conditioner is a vital element of your home. Even if you try to be frugal by not turning it on too often, the fact remains that is a large, expensive piece of equipment and when temperatures reach in the upper 90’s or 100 degrees, you want it to work. Just like how you cannot expect your car to run effectively and efficiently if it is never inspected, used or has its oil changed, an air conditioner can also not be expected to be working at its prime without a little help. An air conditioner inspection will check to see that the unit is running properly. It can help to spot little problems before they become much bigger and more expensive problems. According to Energy Star, here is what you should be expecting out of your inspection:

• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
• Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.
• Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Clean and adjust the blower components to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 15%.

It is also important that you yourself check and change or clean the filter regularly. A dirty filter means the air conditioner has to work harder to put out the same amount of cool, conditioned air into your home.

At Four Star Plumbing & Air Conditioning our Service Agreement customers receive this vital inspection for free twice a year as part of their plan. For more information on Service Agreements visit our website page http://trustfourstar.com/ServicePartner.php or call our office for more information. We also offer the $70 HVAC inspection you can take advantage of at any time of the year.