Tips To Prevent Unexpected AC Repairs

Nobody likes to come home to a broken-down AC. Between scheduling emergency AC repair and paying for the service, unexpected air conditioning repairs can be inconvenient and stressful. While there’s not always something you can do to control problems with your AC system, it is possible to reduce the risk of an unexpected AC breakdown. Here are some tips to keep your AC healthy and prevent unexpected issues.

Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance

Scheduling professional HVAC maintenance is one of the best things you can do for your AC system over the course of its life. Regular maintenance not only takes some of the work off of your hands but also keeps your AC running in top condition for longer. Scheduling an AC tune-up every spring and a heater tune-up every fall has several essential benefits, including:

• Reduced energy costs
• Higher system efficiency
• Lower risk of breakdowns
• Catch repairs early
• Longer lifespan

When an HVAC professional inspects your system twice a year, they’ll be able to spot problems that will eventually affect your AC system’s performance. This prevents unexpected AC repairs by giving you the chance to fix the problem well before it causes serious issues.

Mind Your Thermostat Settings

Texas summers can be brutal, and your AC system is your saving grace — but it won’t be able to do much if it’s not working at all. Your air conditioner experiences a significant strain during the summer months, so it’s important to reduce that strain as much as possible by not asking too much of your AC system. That means keeping your thermostat set to a reasonable temperature!

As tempting as it is to blast your AC at 68 degrees on a triple-digit summer day, your AC is only made to maintain a certain temperature differential, the difference between the temperature outside and inside. Most AC units can maintain up to a 20-degree temperature differential, which means your thermostat shouldn’t be set lower than 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature. That means if the temperature outside is 95 degrees then your thermostat shouldn’t be set lower than 75 degrees. Following this guideline as often as possible is a great way to prevent undue stress on your AC.

Keep the System Clean

While a regular tune-up includes cleaning your air conditioner, there are some things that need to be cleaned more than once or twice per year. If you don’t keep your air conditioner clean, dust, dirt and other debris can make their way into the system and cause some major issues such as blocked airflow. To prevent these problems, it’s important to regularly clear landscaping materials, plant growth, fallen leaves and more away from your outdoor AC unit. 

Change Your Air Filters

Changing your HVAC system’s air filter is one of the single most important pieces of maintenance you should be doing. Unfortunately, though, it’s one of the most forgettable tasks in the home! If you don’t change your filter when it gets dirty, your AC system will be left vulnerable to dust and dirt that can build up in the air ducts and on the equipment causing major problems and even breakdowns. 

That’s why you should check your air filter every month and replace it as needed, usually every one to three months. Forgetting to do this is simply not an option, so create a reminder on your phone if you need to!

Don’t Ignore AC Problems

If you notice something wrong with your AC but the system is still working, the worst thing you can do is put off repairs. Small problems have a way of becoming big issues when it comes to air conditioners, and major repairs cost much more than small fixes. If you see even a small issue with your AC, don’t allow yourself to be blindsided by major issues down the road — schedule air conditioner repairs immediately.

Contact Blanco A/C, Electrical & Plumbing today for more information or to schedule AC repairs.