We talk a lot about the importance of maintaining your HVAC systems. But you may be wondering exactly what happens during an air conditioning maintenance appointment with our team of professionals. You can keep reading to learn point by point how we inspect, clean, and care for your air conditioner.
When you’re ready, you can give us a call to get on the schedule for an AC tune-up in Riverside. Acting now can ensure that your air conditioner is ready for the warmer months ahead of us without any issues. We can even offer you tips for ways to care for your air conditioner in between professional service appointments.
Check Refrigerant Lines
The refrigerant lines run from the outdoor condenser unit to the indoor evaporator coil. It’s easy for these lines to sustain damage – especially the portion exposed to weather elements outside. We can look for visible signs of damage to identify refrigerant leaks. Other refrigerant-related tasks we complete during maintenance include:
- Checking insulation to ensure that it is adequate
- Checking refrigerant levels to monitor for signs of a leak
- Inspecting the indoor and outdoor coils for ice buildup or damage
Assess Airflow
Our first step here is to look at your air filter. If it looks particularly dirty, we can change it out. Then we may make a recommendation that you change it out sooner than you have been to prevent airflow blockages. We will also look at the blower fan and motor, including things like:
- Looking for signs of damage to the fan blades
- Cleaning out and relubricating bearings if needed
- Make sure the motor is secure and all connections are tight
- Checking your ductwork for leaks or inefficient layout that may contribute to airflow problems
Check Start-Up and Operation
We will also take time to listen and pay attention to how your AC is working for a cooling cycle. If we notice issues with startup the first place to check is the capacitor. It provides a much-needed power boost at the beginning of a cycle but can wear down over time. It may need to be replaced before it stops working completely.
We also want to ensure that all safety features are engaged and working as they should. One of these is the shutoff box that prevents your AC from taking on too much power in the case of a power surge or overheating. We can make adjustments as needed and
As part of this, we also look at the overflow safety switch that helps with water flow moving through the condensate drain line. If there is a leak or water is overflowing, your AC may turn off as a safety precaution. If the condensate drain line is dirty we will clean it out and recommend that you rinse it monthly with vinegar to prevent future problems.
Additional Care Steps
These are the larger items, but we also complete a variety of other tasks during regular maintenance. This list isn’t comprehensive because we take each appointment as it comes and address any and all issues we find. Examples of other AC maintenance steps include:
- Testing and calibrating your thermostat
- Checking the foundation of both your indoor and outdoor units
- Measuring the amperage to ensure it falls within a normal range
- Measuring the indoor air temperature vs. that of the air coming from vents – also called the temperature split
- Checking the reversing valve if you have a heat pump
- Wiping down the inside of the unit and rinsing the outdoor unit
Contact RKM Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment with us for AC maintenance. Done Right, Priced Right.