How To Maintain Your AC
AC Maintenance and the Importance of Good AC Filters
Maintenance is a crucial part of a well run AC. Can an AC run without maintenance? Yes, but for how long? Can it operate efficiently?
And while doing so can it operate at its full potential? Is it working twice or three times as hard? These are important questions, all of which need to be taken seriously. Households lose money when their ACs breakdown, this happens often if maintenance isn’t part of a yearly routine.
A yearly maintenance contract will cost around $150 annually. Some businesses and homes prefer this type of consistency. The contractor literally is responsible for the equipment. Because of this contract, the owner will expect the device to work smoothly and efficiently at all times
Other homeowners, however, prefer to pay a one-time annual fee of $70 to $120. Because this is not a contract situation different licensed experts will be assessing the device. Either way, the AC is being looked over and taken care of.
Types of Maintenance
AC evaporator coils are an intricate and important part of the AC. Warm air is forced into these coils. Once the warm air is drawn in, the coils, it is the task of the coils to cool the air. After a period of time, the coils become covered with dirt and dust. This prohibits the coils from doing its job. An insulated coil can not function properly. A contractor will immediately recognize this issue and set out to clean the coils.
Cleaning the find in an AC is vital. Fins help heat to find its way towards the refrigerant in order to cool. Fins allow the journey of the heat to be quicker. If it wasn’t for fins, it would take the heated air longer to make its way to the refrigerant.
When an AC is being maintained, one of the things that the contractor will do is to clean and straighten the fins. Sometimes the fins become bent. If this happens it hinders the productivity of the AC. Cleaned, straightened fins are important for maximum efficiency.
The Importance of AC filters
Replacing filters are extremely important to an AC running its smoothest. Homeowners whose filters are changed regularly find that their air quality is more comfortable and that they have less issues with their equipment. The job of a filter is to remove all debris from the air prior to the air being pushed into the homeowner’s atmosphere. The air that is being breathed in, comes from outside. So if there is a factory producing dangerous pollutants or heavy traffic pushing poisonous fumes into the air, filters will have to combat this.
Filters are designed to prohibit any type of bacteria, virus, or pollen from entering into the home. With filters dust mites, mold and pet dander can be stopped from coming into the home. The cleaner the air, the less likely the individuals in the building will experience Respiratory illness symptoms.
Asking an AC contractor, about the best type of filter is always a good idea. To answer this question in an informed way, the contractor will need to be familiar with MERV. The MERV ratings were formed by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning of Engineer to determine the effectiveness of various air filters.
The initials MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This system grades the capability of a filter. The rating starts from one to 16. One will allow a good deal of particles into the home while starting at 11, a very minimum amount of airborne particles will be allowed in.
A contractor that is trained will be able to determine whether or not your AC can handle filters with ratings that are very high. The higher the rating, the more the chances that the air will become restricted. Depending on the AC less air will be able to get through, due to the filter not allowing it. Remember, the filter will only allow air through that has little or no airborne particles. AC repair Arlington Tx has plenty of contractors that are qualified in this area, to give advice.