Air Conditioning System Maintenance for Homeowners

An air conditioner in good working order is a wonderful thing. The ability to keep your home at any temperature you like is a modern luxury that few who've experienced it wish to give up. Performing the required maintenance for your air conditioning system is the first step in ensuring that it will continue to do its job for years to come.

Air Conditioning Filters
Regularly changing or cleaning the air conditioning filter is one of the best (though most commonly neglected) ways to keep your air conditioning system in check. Whether your air conditioning filter is disposable or permanent, it should ideally be examined (and if needed, washed or replaced) once a month.

Disposable air conditioning filters come in many varieties. There are very inexpensive ones that will do a sufficient job of keeping a lot of dust and dirt out of the system. There are also more expensive models that are designed to filter out not only dust but pollutants and allergens, as well. The air quality in many homes is surprisingly poor. For many, a couple extra dollars every month or two is well worth it.

Permanent air conditioning filters need to be cleaned from time to time. To do the job right, the dust and dirt must first be vacuumed up, then the filter should be rinsed with water. After years of use, these kinds of filters may need to be replaced. They, like disposable filters, come in different grades that are designed to trap various sized particles.

Other Air Conditioning System Checks
As long as an air conditioning system is functioning, most people tend to not worry about it. In addition to yearly air conditioning service (yes, even new systems should be examined by a professional once a year), it is a good idea to regularly check some of the components yourself.

The air coming out of your air conditioner should be 15 to 20 degrees cooler than room temperature. The easiest way to check this is with an infrared thermometer. You can find a cheap model for about $20, or a more expensive model (equipped with a laser) will start around $60. You should also check the two lines connected to the outside of the air conditioner (the larger is the suction line, the smaller is the high pressure line). The suction line should be cool, but not frozen; the high pressure line should be warm but not extremely hot.

Air Conditioning Service
If any of the above scenarios are present, calling for air conditioning service is a good idea. There are chemicals inside your air conditioner that should only be handled by a professional. A certified air conditioning service provider is the only person who should be taking the unit apart at all. If your air conditioning doesn't turn on at all no matter what you set the thermostat at, the problem may stretch into the realm of an electrician. You may want to check your breaker box, as well, to see if the circuit leading to your air conditioning unit has tripped. You can try resetting the switch, but if the breaker trips again, it is definitely time to call a professional.