All About Central Air Conditioner Repair and Installation
Your home’s central air conditioning system is a critical component when it comes to your cooling your home. When repairing your system, installing new equipment or maintaining existing equipment, important considerations need to be taken before getting started. Understanding how your central air conditioning system works, required maintenance procedures and easy cleaning and repair tips will help you care for your system.
How A Central Air Condition System Works
A central air conditioning system is comprised of two main components referred to as a condenser and an evaporator. The condenser resides on the exterior of your home, usually placed on a small, concrete slab where it is easily accessible. The evaporator including the evaporator coil and air handler or blower is strategically located inside the home usually in a closet dedicated to the unit. The evaporator might be located in the attic as well. In homes where a furnace is used, the evaporator will reside above it where it connects to the plenum or a duct junction for air distribution. If you do not have a furnace or other heating source, your central air conditioning system may be equipped with an electrical resistance heating element to provide your home with warm air during the winter months. Since we are talking about a central air conditioner, this article will focus mainly on the cooling aspects of the system.
In either case, a central air conditioning system falls under the forced air distribution category, meaning the same ductwork, motor and blower are used for both heating and cooling your home. Once the unit is activated, hot air is drawn from the house into the return air vent and pulled across the evaporator coil to cool it. The fan and blower assembly provide the circulation to draw in and distribute the conditioned air through the ductwork to cool the house.
Annual Maintenance and Repair of AC Unit
Central air conditioners require a high degree of training, knowledge and experience to repair properly. Both of the main components: Evaporator and condenser are sealed units therefore, special training and tools are required to service them. To maintain peak performance and efficiency of your central air conditioning system, schedule an annual inspection, adjustment and cleaning for preventive maintenance with a reputable contractor before the summer months set in.
Choosing the right contractor is as important as maintaining your heating and cooling system. Before hiring an HVAC contractor, verify that they are licensed, insured and carry the required knowledge and experience to service you home’s system. The BBB (Better Business Bureau) is a great place to start, as they will have any complaints, lawsuits or concerns on file regarding the applicable contractor. Ask the contractor for a list of references with phone numbers so that you can call and ask pointed questions such as the quality, cleanliness and timeliness of the work performed.
Upon arriving at your home, and after introductions are made, the contractor will begin his/her inspection, adjustment and cleaning procedures. A thorough cleaning and inspection should include the following:
- Lubrication of any moving parts such as blower fan motors, fan blades and condenser fan.
- Verifies refrigerant levels are correct and adds Freon when necessary.
- Performs various safety checks on the system.
- Inspects and cleans the evaporator coils.
- Inspects and adjusts any contactors, wiring and related connections.
- Inspects and tests capacitors and relays within the system.
- Verifies the condensate drain is free of obstructions and is draining properly.
- Cleans the condenser coil.
- Inspects the outdoor disconnect.
- Inspects condenser fan motor and blades.
- Performs an amperage startup test on the compressor.
Service contracts for annual preventive maintenance are available through many HVAC contractors and companies. Benefits often include:
- Annual preventive maintenance inspections and adjustments.
- A discounted preventive maintenance price.
- Possible discounts on parts and labor.
- Bumped higher up on their priority service call list.
Do Your Part
The benefits of annual preventive maintenance checkups on your central air-conditioning system far outweigh the costs of the service. With regular preventive maintenance checkups, you can expect: Read more here .
Is It Time to Replace Your HVAC?
If your current HVAC system is more more than 15 years old, then it would be a wise investment to have it replaced. Not only are older systems less efficient than newer ones, but their efficiency continues to decrease over the years, resulting in higher monthly utility bills. Investing in new, professionally-installed HVAC technology and routine HVAC maintenance services can not only lower your monthly energy bills but can increase the life of your HVAC systems. Don’t suffer through the heat if your air conditioner doesn’t want to cooperate. One call to Abacus Plumbing and help is on its way. Call us here: (713) 812-7070 guarantee a quick day service.
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