Sunrise AC
SHARE
maintenance tips ac
By Published On: June 23rd, 2022Comments Off on 7 Common AC Maintenance Mistakes and How to Avoid Them31 min read

Are you worried about the longevity of your AC unit?

Keeping your AC system clean and free of damage is integral in making sure it functions for a long time. On average, an AC unit should last between 15 and 20 years, but it’ll be a lot less if you don’t maintain it properly.

In this post, we’re going to tell you 7 common AC maintenance mistakes that often lead to AC repair, and in the worst circumstances, replacement. If you’re unsure of what you should be doing with your air conditioner, keep reading and we’ll make sure you aren’t making any costly mistakes.

1. Not Cleaning or Replacing Filters

They may be the most inexpensive part of your AC unit, but neglecting air filters can have dire consequences. You should be replacing your air filters once every couple of months and cleaning them every few weeks.

Air filters pick up all the dirt and debris that cycles through your air conditioner and prevents them from tainting your indoor air quality. Eventually, they become too full, which makes them useless for you and detrimental to your AC unit. This is one of the more common AC issues.

You need the air to flow freely through your AC unit for it to work properly. A clogged air filter prevents this from happening, which could lead to your unit overcompensating and breaking down.

2. Ignoring Strange Noises

If you’re hearing obscure noises – ones that you don’t normally hear – when you turn the air conditioning on, don’t ignore them. Rattling and squeaking noises usually indicate that something is going wrong mechanically inside your air conditioning unit.

When caught early, a professional may be able to repair whatever part is broken inside the unit. If you ignore it and keep using your AC, there’s a good chance you’re going to do much worse damage.

Never try to open your AC unit up yourself. These are complicated pieces of machinery that only a trained professional should be working on. Call an HVAC technician near you and get it properly looked at.

3. Neglecting Your Vents

As with your air filters, dirt and debris can become lodged in the air vents located around your house. If you don’t clean these out on a regular basis, your AC unit is going to blast these things into your home when you turn it on.

This will quickly turn your home into a haven for allergens, which will likely make allergies and illnesses an issue. In addition, your AC unit will have to work harder to regulate the air in your home, which can put a lot of strain on it over longer periods of time.

One more thing to remember is to try not to block your air vents. People often put furniture in front of the vents, but this has the same effect as letting dirt accumulate in them.

You can try to do some basic air vent maintenance on your own, but it’s better to have a professional do your vents because they’ll have the proper equipment to give them a deeper clean.

4. Not Cleaning Coils

So far, we’ve discussed parts of your AC unit that you come in direct contact with. If you want to make sure you’re doing regular AC maintenance, then you need to look at the outdoor unit itself. In particular, the coils and fins are parts that need special attention when cleaning AC systems.

These aid the evaporators inside the house and the condenser on the outside part of the unit that transfers heat. As they’re located outside, coils are particularly vulnerable to debris and grime buildup. If it accumulates enough, you’re going to notice a lack of efficiency with your AC unit, which is going to increase your bills.

5. Overworking the Unit

Many people’s tendency, when it’s hot out, is to lower their thermostat as much as possible to get comfortable as fast as possible. Setting the temperature too low is going to put unnecessary stress on your air conditioner, which will lead to a lot of wear and tear.

You’re much better off using alternative methods to supplement the cooling you get from your AC. Try lowering the blinds to prevent the sun from heating your house up and run your ceiling fans to circulate the air better. This is going to be far less costly than blasting your air conditioning and potentially needing repairs or replacement.

6. Waiting on Repairs

One of the most common AC issues that we see is when a homeowner knows that they need repairs to their AC unit, but put it off. When you have a problem, whether it’s a mechanical issue within your unit or something less detectable, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible.

The longer you wait on these problems – and continue to run your air conditioning – the more exacerbated the problems will become. Trust us, you’re going to end up spending more money when you let AC issues fester.

7. Not Having Inspections Done

An important aspect of AC longevity is regular AC maintenance. At least once per year, you should have your local HVAC technician scheduled to visit your home to make sure your AC unit is working as it should.

We’ve listed a few maintenance issues and problems that could occur with your unit, but there are many more that go undetected. If you’re truly going to make your air conditioner last as long as possible, then you need to frequently make sure that there’s nothing sinister going on beneath the surface.

Don’t Make These AC Maintenance Mistakes

Now that you understand some of the more common AC maintenance mistakes, you can take measures to avoid them. Maintaining and cleaning AC systems isn’t a job for the layman, so make sure to contact us at Sunrise Heat & Air for your Tampa Bay-area air conditioner.

We’ve been serving the area for over 20 years, becoming the top company for new AC installation, repairing AC units, and AC maintenance service. To learn more about what we do and how we can boost the air quality in your home, check out our services today.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Project Type(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Our Services

All Calls Answered

727-610-8890