Extend the Life of Your AC Unit this Summer

As you flip on the air conditioning, summer has begun. Your air conditioning unit works hard for at least half the year to keep you cool and comfortable. Therefore, it’s important for homeowners to understand the life-cycle of an AC unit from installation to long-term maintenance.

Taking the time to schedule regular AC unit service and repairs not only keeps your home at ideal temperatures—it also ensures your air conditioner will have a long lifespan.

Ways to Extend the Life of Your AC Unit

There are many ways to keep your home AC unit in great working order. Here are some of our top tips to ensure your investment lasts for as long as possible:

• Selecting the right size unit is key to finding an air conditioner that works well with your home and runs efficiently. Most people think that buying the biggest air conditioning will offer better cooling. However, using an oversized AC unit is actually less effective and wastes energy. Your AC functions to remove not only heat but also humidity. While a bigger unit can cool the room quickly, it cannot remove all of the humidity — leaving a damp, clammy atmosphere in the room.
• Consider your home’s build, like the height of your ceilings and the thickness of your insulation. You also need to make sure that your electrical system can properly power the unit. The air conditioning specialists at Bradley Mechanical in Central Virginia can help you make a perfect selection for your home.
• Replace the filter every three to four months. After spending a lot of time indoors, air filters can quickly become clogged with dust and allergens that not only impact your indoor air quality but make it harder for cool air to flow. By staying on top of filter changes, you’ll be able to cool down your home faster and cheaper.
• Keep the outdoor unit clean and clear of debris. Similar to indoor filters, it’s important to keep tabs on your outdoor unit to ensure nothing is blocking or damaging your air conditioning unit. After summer storms and extreme wind, sticks, dirt and plenty of other outdoor debris can pile up against your unit and impact its overall performance.
• Repair your air conditioning unit as soon as you notice an issue. Air conditioning units can quickly disrupt your life when they decide to unexpectedly malfunction, especially during the summer. Residents of Central Virginia know they can rely on Bradley Mechanical for short-notice service. We’ll look at common components such as the AC’s compressor, condenser coil and unit, fan, coolant line, blower, and more to identify where the trouble is originating from. We pinpoint the source of the problem and solve it — so there won’t be multiple attempts to correct the issue.
• Schedule regular tune-ups at least once a year. This summer is a great time to have the professionals at Bradley Mechanical come out and service your air conditioning to make sure it stays running during high temperatures. Ongoing upkeep can protect you from and predict any future inefficiencies. Our team can keep you from having a full-system failure or prepare you for when your AC will eventually need replacing.

A tune-up should also include a test to make sure your unit is running efficiently. This dictates how well your AC can heat or cool your home and how high your energy bill is. On average, Bradley Mechanical technicians find that businesses and homeowners are spending 20 percent more than what a properly air-conditioned home or business typically spends on energy costs.

Stay Cool for Years to Come

Once you have your AC installed, you will need to continuously maintain it — just as you would your car. This can be the difference between a few hundred dollars a year for a tune-up and several thousand dollars for a replacement. A specialist can test your air conditioning to make sure it maintains healthy indoor air quality in your home.

The average life expectancy of an air conditioning unit is between 15-25 years. Get the most out of your investment by taking care of it. The certified HVAC technicians at Bradley Mechanical have over 50 years of professional experience installing, repairing and maintaining all types of air conditioning units. Rather than sweat through the summer heat or avoid a problem that will likely result in a higher energy bill, give us a call today. We’ll keep your space cool and comfy all summer long.