We have all felt skeptical when a technician shows up to do some maintenance work on the air conditioner. We worry that they will give the system a quick glance and hand over a bill. What actually happens is that the technician will work for an hour, busily tending to your equipment to make certain it remains in top shape. Annual service calls like these make sure your air conditioner is ready to help you beat the next heat wave.
The Deep Clean You Cannot Do Yourself
One of the first things a technician will do is head straight for the outdoor unit. This is often clogged with grass clippings, spider webs, and sticky pollen. This part of your system contains the condenser coils. If these coils are covered in dirt, the heat from your house has nowhere to go. The tech will use a special foaming cleaner or a gentle water spray to melt away the grime that has built up over the last year.
This is vital because a clean coil can move heat much more efficiently. Your electric bill stays lower because the fan does not have to spin for nearly as long. For example, a unit choked with cottonwood seeds might run twice as long as a clean one just to reach the same temperature on your thermostat.
Testing the Electrical Components of the Machine
After the cleaning is done, the focus shifts to the electrical components that tell the motor when to start and stop. The technician will open up the side panel to check the capacitor, a small silver cylinder that acts like a battery to give the motor a jump-start. They use a special meter to see if this part is still strong or if it is starting to bulge and leak, a classic sign that it is about to fail.
If a capacitor dies on a Sunday afternoon, your AC won’t turn on at all. So, catching a weak one during a routine visit is a huge win. The technician will also tighten any loose wire connections. The vibration of the machine can slowly jiggle things free over time, and this leads to dangerous sparks or short circuits.
Clearing the Path for Frozen Air
After performing maintenance on the unit outdoors, the technician will move inside the house and work on the equipment there. First, they will check the drain line and the evaporator coil to make sure everything is working correctly and flowing optimally.
As your air conditioner takes the humidity out of the air, the water moves into the pipe and into the drain pan. If there is a clog, a flood can occur. Water can even get into the system, shut it down, and damage electrical components. They will clean out the drain line with high-pressured air, remove debris from the components, and swap out the filter if needed to improve airflow. Then, the pro will check refrigerant levels to make sure the system properly cools your home.
Scheduling regular maintenance calls before the next heat wave means that you can enjoy popsicles and movies in your cool living room all summer long. To keep your Santa Barbara, CA home cool and comfortable during the warmer months, contact Crocker Refrigeration, Heating & Air for air conditioning maintenance.
