Air Conditioning Maintenance

Why care about air conditioning maintenance?

If your evaporator (indoor) coil and / or filter is dirty, you'll have poor air flow, which means the unit has to run longer to cool the room down, so you pay a higher electric bill.

There is also a danger that liquid refrigerant will return to the compressor and break it, and then you'll be buying a new compressor and getting the maintenance done.

If the evaporator coil isn't kept clean, micro-organisms grow on the coil and in the drain pan.

They form a kind of disgusting slime and sludge that blocks air flow and can plug up the drain.

A comment I've heard from home-owners who've seen the stuff washing out of their coils is:

We've been breathing that stuff?

Food for thought.

If your condenser coil is dirty, it can't reject heat, so not only is the compressor running longer to cool the room down so you're paying higher electric bills again,

It's also running with high head pressure, which will shorten it's service life at the least, and break it eventually if the coil isn't cleaned.

So, what kind of work is usually done during air conditioning maintenance?

The coils will be cleaned, the drain pan and drain line will be cleaned, and the indoor blower should be cleaned if it needs it.

The outdoor fan blades should be cleaned too if they need it.

The filter will be cleaned or replaced.

The blower motors will be inspected and lubed,

And the drive belt (if there is one) will be inspected and adjusted or replaced as necessary.

The wiring will be checked to see if there are any loose connections or worn out insulation,

Supply voltage should be verified,

And the contactor should be checked for pitting or chattering.

When the cleaning, replacing, and adjusting is complete, the unit will be run to check operating characteristics.

If the technician performing your air conditioning maintenance makes any recommendations, pay attention.

If his work has shown a high degree of professionalism, take his recommendations seriously.

The frequency of your maintenance will depend on where you live.

Dry areas with little dust and pollen in the air will need less frequent cleaning than humid areas with a lot of pollen and dust.

Keep an eye on your filters and the condition of your coils, keep them clean, and it will help keep your air conditioner cooling and humming along for years.

I hope this page has helped, and please, feel free to contact us with any specific HVAC questions you might have, including questions about air conditioning on Guam, and refrigeration on Guam.