Cheeky Heating, Cooling & Plumbing Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Service’

Should You Repair or Replace a Broken AC Compressor?

Monday, April 5th, 2021
compressor

Throughout the lifespan of your air conditioner, there are a variety of issues that can befall it. Most of these issues are a result of good ol’ fashioned wear and tear, and some other issues are caused by a lack of maintenance, manufacturer defect, or some other type of system damage. But considering that you want your air conditioner to work reliably as possible through our warm springs and stifling summers, it makes sense that you want to take care of these needs as effectively as possible.

One potential repair need that’s particularly unpleasant to face is a broken AC compressor. With most cooling system parts, replacement of that part is typically the best choice. But if you have a broken down compressor, the questions turns into whether you should replace just the component, or the entire cooling system. This is because the compressor is actually the most expensive component in your air conditioner. Read on to learn more!

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Have You Scheduled AC Maintenance Yet?

Monday, April 20th, 2020
air-conditioning-outside-unit-with-clipboard-sitting-on-top

We get it—when an HVAC professional suggests maintenance for your air conditioning system, it can be an easy recommendation for you to dismiss. Unless something is wrong with your cooling system right now, like you noticed a sudden loss of cooling power, you may be tempted to put off maintenance, particularly if your air conditioner has been working “just fine.”

The fact of the matter is, though, that just like maintenance for your car, routine AC maintenance is vital to the performance of your cooling system as well as repair prevention. An as a trusted resource in your community, our team has the responsibility to share with you why regular maintenance is so important, and when you should schedule it.

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5 Tips to Extend the Life of Your HVAC System (& 1 Tip on When to Replace It)

Friday, November 22nd, 2019

Your home’s HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Condition) system runs ’round the clock, 24/7, all year long. You can’t expect it to last forever, but you can expect your furnace to last for about several years—depending on the model, you may get 15-20 years out of your furnace and 10-15 years out of your air conditioner. It’s a big investment to replace your furnace or air conditioner, so we have five tips for you to try to extend the life of your HVAC system.

1. Schedule two HVAC tune-ups per year

Contact a home services company to give your furnace a tune-up in the fall and your air conditioner a tune-up in the spring. This preventative maintenance usually includes a good inspection, cleaning, lubrication and any necessary adjustments. (Save $20 on a Tune Up)

2. Change the air filter regularly

Disposable fiberglass filters should be replaced every 30 days, but check your filter and furnace manual to see how often you should be replacing the filter. A dirty filer will make your HVAC system work harder to circulate air and that can cause extra wear on the system.

3. Clean your ducts

Be sure to keep the return air vents clean and prevent the build-up of dust and debris. You might also want to have your ducts professionally cleaned so that your system is delivering the cleanest air possible.

4. Give the HVAC system a break sometimes

Does your HVAC system really need to be running almost 24/7? Can you give it a break when you’re on vacation? On a cool evening could you open the windows and give the a/c the night off? You’ll be saving energy and giving the system a break.

5. Upgrade your insulation

The better your home is insulated, the less your HVAC system will need to run to maintain the temperature. The first place to check for sufficient insulation is your attic.

When to Replace Your HVAC System

Even if you follow these tips and take good care of your HVAC system, eventually it will need to be replaced, but when? If you’re approaching the projected end of life for the unit, you can’t go wrong replacing it because you will be saving money with the new, more energy efficient replacement. But if you want to prolong the system as long as possible, contract with a reliable home services company for your annual tune-ups and then ask the HVAC tech for their input on when to replace. Be honest with them about the maintenance you’ve carried out on the unit—even if that means confessing that sometimes you didn’t replace the air filter for a season or two. Hopefully you can get to know the techs from the home services company and get to where you can trust their input on when to replace your furnace or air conditioner.

Summary

Take good care of your HVAC system and it may well last longer than the average lifespan, but also know when to replace it before it becomes unreliable or so inefficient that it’s costly to keep it running.

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Yes, You Can Boost AC Efficiency Yourself!

Monday, June 17th, 2019

There aren’t a lot of things HVAC pros will tell you that you can do yourself when it comes to servicing your comfort control system. And the fact of the matter is that for big repairs, this is mostly true—particularly since there are some components of HVAC systems that professionals need special training and licensing for. This includes substances like refrigerant and natural gas, in the case of a furnace.

That said, professional maintenance is important. In fact, it is vital to the overall performance and efficiency of your air conditioner. It allows our technicians to thoroughly inspect your air conditioner for problems, anything that needs adjusting, and anything that needs to be cleaned. It also allows you to get repairs on your schedule right away so they don’t turn into bigger emergencies later on down the line. But, back to how you can boost efficiency by yourself…

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“Is It Too Late to Tune-Up my AC for Summer?”

Monday, June 3rd, 2019
ac-unit-being-worked-on

Temperatures are already soaring, and you just noticed that you forgot to arrange for your next air conditioning maintenance appointment. But maybe you can skip it, just this one year? It’s probably too late to have it done now anyway, right?

Not quite! In the absence of a total system breakdown, it’s never actually too late to get your air conditioner tuned-up. This is truly a case of “it’s better late than never.” Plus, there are benefits to joining our maintenance plan, which we’ll elaborate on below.

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