Are you a new homeowner or new to owning an air conditioner? If so, you might be surprised to learn that your air conditioner requires regular maintenance to ensure it is operating efficiently when you need it most. Though modern air conditioners are primarily hands-off, you won’t want to neglect taking care of the unit as doing so can lead to reduced efficiency and even a call for emergency air conditioning repair services. However, knowing what to do to maintain your air conditioner can sometimes feel like a mystery.
At EVAM Canada, we are dedicated to helping our customers stay cool and comfortable on the hottest summer days. We know that when looking for AC maintenance near me, you’ll want to turn to experienced HVAC contractors that not only offer air conditioner installation, but also education on how to keep your unit running like new. At EVAM Canada, we go above and beyond to ensure your air conditioner is running as it should and are your top choice when looking for AC maintenance Mississauga, Burlington, and Milton-wide.
In this article
Can I Hire someone to Do My Air Conditioner Maintenance?
If you are looking for a hands-off air conditioner maintenance service, the experts at EVAM Canada are here to help. Our team of HVAC technicians are highly trained and can work with air conditioners of all kinds. Though we are proud to carry Bryant, Carrier, and Payne air conditioners, we can assist with air conditioner maintenance for other brands.
What Does AC Maintenance Cost?
Routine air conditioner maintenance is affordable and can help you reduce the chance of costly air conditioner repairs. In order to cool your home efficiently during the warmer months, your air conditioner should be in peak condition. Whether you have recently invested in a brand new cooling system, or have been neglecting your existing air conditioning unit, there is no time like the present to start investigating AC maintenance costs.
Opting for regular professional maintenance of your air conditioner can help extend its life, lower the risk of costly repair bills, and help you and your family stay comfortable on the hottest days of the year. Keep in mind that your AC maintenance cost will vary depending on the specific model, size, location and condition of your AC unit. The following is a general breakdown of typical air conditioner maintenance and associated pricing.
One-Time Maintenance – Is offered by many HVAC contractors. Home owners may choose to schedule an appointment to have their AC unit serviced if they feel it is not working as efficiently as it should, or if they are encountering a specific issue. If you opt for infrequent, one-time servicing, costs are likely to be higher than with scheduled preventative maintenance plans. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars per visit, and more if any major repairs are required.
Seasonal Maintenance – A popular choice for home owners looking to keep their air conditioner working well. By having your unit serviced in the spring at the beginning of the cooling season, and again the fall when it’s time to shut down your air conditioner, you can rest easy knowing that your cooling system is ready to perform when you need it.
Maintenance Plans – Are often one of the most affordable options when it comes to your AC maintenance cost. By purchasing a maintenance plan from a certified expert technician, you can ensure that your AC unit is checked on a regular basis to prevent big problems from happening at the most inconvenient times. Maintenance plans like these are usually charged on a monthly basis for a nominal cost, especially if you purchase a plan at the time of installation.
DIY AC Maintenance Guide
DIY air conditioner maintenance is a great way to save money while ensuring your air conditioner continues to operate efficiently. At EVAM Canada, we want our customers to feel confident that they can complete basic air conditioner maintenance, such as changing furnace filters. Our DIY Air Conditioner Maintenance Guides offer helpful tips for those who prefer to know the ins and outs of their air conditioning system.
Though much of the maintenance you need to do for your air conditioner can be completed on your own, having an experienced technician check out your air conditioner can also be a good idea. Contact a member of our team today for an air conditioner checkup and be sure it is running as efficiently as possible.
Quick Checklist
To keep your air conditioner running efficiently you need to keep up to date with regular maintenance. This can seem overwhelming but by staying organized and completing this DIY Air Conditioner Maintenance Checklist you will be able to stay on track and keep your AC running smooth all summer long. This list compiles tasks that you can do on your own with little equipment to ensure that your AC unit stays in great shape. Use these tips and learn how air conditioning works to get started.
- Clear the area around your air conditioner
- Keep your AC unit level
- Clean the condenser
- Change the filters
- Clean the condensation lines
- Clean the exterior coils
- Clean the fins
- Clean the evaporator
- Check your ductwork
Detailed Checklist
Maintaining your air conditioner doesn’t have to be difficult. Set aside a few hours to work through these steps so you can get the most out of your cooling equipment. The following is Evam Canada’s simple central air conditioner maintenance guide:
Change the Filter – Dirty and clogged filters are the number one cause of air conditioner problems. A dirty filter can restrict air flow, leading to decreased efficiency of your cooling system. A clogged filter can even result in your system icing up. Check your filter often and clean or replace it every month or two, especially in peak cooling season.
Check the Thermostat – If your thermostat is battery operated, replace the unit with fresh batteries to avoid costly repair visits. Many home owners blame their air conditioner in cases where their thermostat is really the culprit!
Clean Up – A key component of your central air conditioner maintenance is a thorough cleaning of the exterior unit. If you haven’t cleaned it recently, it is likely quite dirty. Carefully clean the fan blades with a high pressure stream from a garden hose, taking care to avoid bending or breaking any fins as you remove debris. Also clear away any other debris like leaves, twigs and grass that may be surrounding the outdoor air conditioning unit.
Level It – As the concrete pad on which your AC unit sits settles, it can become unlevel. If your air conditioner tilts to one side, this can impact the compressor inside, making it more susceptible to wear and tear. Use a hand level to check your unit and made adjustments using shims to return it to the proper position.
Perform an Overall Check-Up – Take a visual inventory of your air conditioner’s components, such as fuses, breakers, wires, connections, drain lines and more. Examine these parts for any signs of wear or damage that could cause your system to malfunction. If you notice any issues, call in a professional air conditioner repair technician immediately for assistance.
Exterior surroundings and the Condenser – Cleaning up the area around your air conditioner is a quick and easy DIY task. Make sure to remove tall grass, rocks and sticks from the area surrounding your air condition unit. This is a continuous task that should be repeated often to help prevent debris from entering you air conditioner and will make cleaning your condenser easier. While completing this task take a look at the concrete your air conditioner sitting on. If it is not level it can affect the performance of your air conditioner and you should replace it. When cleaning the condenser, you must ensure that you have powered off the unit. Once off you may open up your air conditioner to see if any debris such as rocks, leaves and sticks have entered your unit. Removing these items will help your air conditioner to run more efficiently. Cleaning the condenser is a more involved task. You may wish to contact a technician to do this for you.
Filters, Condensation lines and exterior parts – Cleaning of filters, condensation lines, exterior coils and fins are all simple tasks that you can learn to do on your own. These small tasks will help extend the life of your air conditioner and ensure it is running optimally and providing you with superior performance. It is suggested by Money Talks News that you clean your filter once a month. Cleaning this one item is quick easy, and inexpensive to do. Unlike the filter cleaning the filter, condensation lines require you to take apart pieces of the air conditioning unit. If you are unsure if your condensation lines are draining properly you can clean them yourself or call a technician to assist you. The fins and coils of your air conditioner are located on the exterior of the unit. They easily collect dust and dirt from the outdoors. Along with keeping the area around your air conditioner free and clean or potential debris it is important to clean these areas. This simple cleaning can be done by using a soft brush to remove dirt and then spraying the unit with water to wash off leftover debris.
How to Clean Central Air Conditioner Coils
There are many benefits to conducting regular air conditioner maintenance of your air conditioner unit including better performance and an extended life of your unit. Many air conditioner maintenance tasks are easy to do on your own at home with little equipment.
An easy and important task to do regularly is to clean your air conditioner coils. We will walk you through the process of how to clean air conditioner coils to help you keep your air conditioner running well and keeping you cool during the hot summer months.
Turn off the power – For your own safety it is important to turn off the power to your air conditioner before conducting any work. This can be done by accessing the electrical shut off box of your unit if your unit has one. Look for this box outside of your home near your air conditioning unit. If you do not have a shut off box find your air conditioner on your homes circuit breaker and use this to turn off the power. Always complete this step before attempting to clean your air conditioner.
Check the surrounding area – Clean the area surrounding your air conditioner. This important step should be completed on a regular basis. Cleaning up sticks, weeds, tall grass and other debris from the area surrounding your air conditioner will help to keep it running well and clean in the future. Complete this task before cleaning your coils to ensure a greater cleaning effect. Consider doing this task on a regular basis in order to reduce any future AC maintenance costs.
Remove the cover – Keep a small container nearby to collect any screws or bolts to ensure you are able to easily recover your air conditioner unit. Check your user manual if you need assistance determining the correct screwdriver for your unit.
Spray the coils with water – You can use your garden hose to complete this task. This will help remove loose debris. Avoid directly spraying the fan of the unit.
Spray the coils with a foam cleaner – Do this by following the directions on the container and while the coils are still wet. Allow the cleaner to soak in.
Scrub the coils of the unit with a fin comb – At this time you can attempt to straighten out bent coils with the fin comb. This step cleans dust and stuck on debris from your unit. Fin combs can be purchased at an everyday hardware store.
Spray the cleaner off of the coils – You can again use your garden hose to do this.
Replace you unit cover – After covering the AC unit back up, turn the air condition back on.
Seasonal Maintenance Schedule
Spring:
Cleaning area around your Air Conditioner – although this is a continuous task, take the time to get bigger objects out of the way in the spring. The cleaner the area is the easier this task will be during the summer months.
Cleaning of the Condenser – this task involves taking apart some of your air conditioning unit. Consider getting this done by a professional well before you need to use your air conditioner. At this time a technician may also check for any other issues with your unit.
Ensure Air Conditioner is level – use a level to check if your air conditioner is sitting level on the ground. If it is not level, you may have to replace the concrete block that it sits on.
Check your ductwork – Checking your ductwork for leaks will ensure that your air conditioner is working as efficiently as possible. Leaks in ducts can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to. Take time when you may not need your air conditioner or furnace to get these checked.
Summer:
Replace filters – This task should be done once a month while your air conditioner is in use. Replace it before you turn it on for the first time and then continue to change it each month until you are done using it for the summer season.
Clean condensation lines – cleaning of condensation lines should be done before you turn your air conditioning unit on. This ensures that there are no blockages and you will not have any issues with condensation backing up into your system.
Clean exterior parts – cleaning of exterior parts of your air conditioner such as the fins and coils is a once per season task that can be completed quickly and easily. Do this task before turning the unit on to ensure it is ready to function properly.
Fall & Winter:
Turn off the power – There is no need to keep the power connected to your air conditioner during the winter. This step will ensure the air conditioner does not turn on during a warmer than typical winter day.
Clean up – Do your last clean of the area for the off season. Keeping this area clean reduces springtime work.
Clean and Cover the unit – take time to clean the exterior of the unit. Consider purchasing a cover for your air conditioner to keep it clean and clear of debris during the fall and winter months.
Benefits of DIY Maintenance
Using a DIY Air Conditioner maintenance checklist is a great way to save money by completing tasks yourself. This regular maintenance will ensure that your air conditioner is in great shape and runs efficiently for years to come. These simple tasks included in this article serve as a great guide to assist you in knowing what you should be doing to keep your air conditioner running smoothly. If you’re not the hands-on type, these tasks can be performed for you by a technician. A professional can help you identify any issues with your air conditioning unit For more information on how conditioners work check out our other great blog articles.
