What is an AC tune-up? It is simply the best way to ensure you don’t have to swelter through a summer heat wave.
If your AC is humming along reliably, a heat wave isn’t so bad. You can stay inside your cool, air-conditioned home with a chilly drink in hand. But if your air conditioner breaks down when it’s in the triple digits outside, you will roast inside. No amount of iced tea or crowding around a fan is going to make you feel comfortable.
A little preparation prevents turning your home into an oven on hot days. If you’ve suffered an AC breakdown during a heat wave, you will never ask: “Is an AC tune-up worth it?” You’ll be saying to yourself, ”how soon can I get it done?”
Here are some tips for an AC tune-up that keeps your air conditioner in top shape so that it reliably keeps you cool, even on the hottest days.
What Is an AC Tune-Up?
The goal of getting an AC tune-up before hot weather strikes is to keep your system running efficiently. An AC that runs well uses less energy and, more importantly, minimizes the risk it will break down when you need it the most. You might wonder: What is an air conditioner tune-up? We will get into the details below. The main point is, having a professional make sure that your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is in excellent working order in the spring will save you money and potential discomfort.
What Does an AC Tune-Up Include?
In answer to the question, “what does an AC tune-up include?”, most professionals complete a thorough inspection of both the inside and outside elements of your system. They give extra attention to the moving parts and ventilation to ensure there’s freely flowing air around the outside unit and through your ductwork. Typical AC tune-ups also include:
- Checking electrical connections for dirt, loose wires and safety feature functioning
- Investigating air ducts and hoses for leaks and blockages
- Replacing filters, including HEPA and UV filters
- Measuring refrigerant levels and topping them up, if needed
- Testing thermostats to ensure they are functioning accurately
- Cleaning dust, debris, pet hair and other kinds of dirt from in and around units, taking particular care of the evaporator and condenser coils
- Putting the system through a test to make sure everything is working well
Curious what to expect during Constellation Home’s 21-point Air Conditioning Tune-Up? Below, we’ve compiled a few tips and pointers on what to expect during your inspection tune-up with us.
What to Expect From An AC Tune-Up
Prior to the Air Conditioning Tune-Up
- Prior to your tune-up, our AC technician will contact either through a text or call to let you know he is on the way and provide an updated estimate of his arrival time. Our technicians normally call from a protected number, so if your phone has caller ID, make sure you are prepared to answer if the number comes through as unknown.
- When you speak to your Constellation Home technician, feel free to let them know the best place to park. Our technicians are happy to back into your driveway or even park on the street – whatever is best for you and your home.
- If you have any pets in the home, we ask you to please put them away prior to the technician arriving, for your pets’ safety, and for our own. For most air conditioning inspections, our technician will be inspecting both inside and out of your Maryland home so it’s always the safest to have your pets secured before we arrive.
- This time of year, part of the inspection includes cleaning the coils of your outdoor AC unit. If you haven’t already, it might be a good idea to turn your water valve back on for your outside hose bibb as the technician will most likely ask to use your hose to clean your outdoor unit.
During the Air Conditioning Tune-Up
- When the AC technician arrives, advise him of any issues or concerns you have with your unit before he starts, to ensure the inspection tune-up is as helpful as possible.
- Although our technician will be focusing on the outdoor unit, he will ask where your thermostat(s) is (are) located, as well as other parts of your heating and cooling system. Be prepared to show the technician where your furnace or air handler are located as well. The technician will need to know where these are located as the tune-up includes inspecting your indoor coils, blower, and operating system.
- The tune-up also includes an inspection of your outdoor unit. If there are any areas in your yard that you don’t want disturbed, for example new grass or a garden, let the technician know beforehand so they can make sure to avoid them. We take pride in respecting your home – inside and out.
- During the 21-point efficiency tune-up, our technician will complete a 21-point checklist that includes inspecting the overall operating status of the unit, inspecting the refrigerant charge, ensuring that the drain line is clear, checking terminals and wiring, as well as inspecting your system’s capacitor and cleaning your outdoor coil.
After the Air Conditioning Tune-Up
- At the conclusion of the air conditioning tune-up, our technician will provide an overview of the work performed, answer any questions you may have, and bring up any areas of concern that were discovered. This can help you become aware of performance problems with your air conditioning system that you didn’t know existed.
- Our AC technician will also clean up his work space, remove any packaging and equipment that was brought in, and leave your home in the same condition he found it.
Are AC Tune-Ups Necessary?
There are many reasons you should get an AC tune-up, especially if you want to stay relaxed and cool during the warm summer months. An AC tune-up will help with HVAC maintenance and ensure a cool house all summer long.
- AC tune-ups have been shown to extend the life of AC systems by several years and investing in a tune-up is a great way to save money on future energy bills.
- Air conditioning tune-ups are a great way to clean and restore your AC unit to its most efficient working condition.
- AC tune-ups will prevent the future breakdown of your AC unit.
- AC tune-ups will provide you and your family with better air quality inside your home.
How Long Does an AC Tune-Up Take?
The air conditioning inspection itself will take 35 minutes to an hour. The timing can depend on the location of the equipment and what the technician might find during the inspection.
How Often Do You Need an AC Tune-Up?
The question of how often you should get an AC tune-up depends on your situation. Most people choose a twice-a-year tune-up schedule, in fall and spring. In areas that are hot all year long or for the majority of the calendar, you may want to schedule more frequent tune-ups. If you have an older system, you might get a little more life out of it with more regular maintenance.
Schedule Your Next AC Tune-Up with Constellation Home
Preventing a breakdown and costly repairs, as well as disruption in cooling when you need it the most, is an important reason to schedule regular AC tune-ups. You will also enjoy higher energy efficiency, a longer system lifespan, better performance and a more comfortable home. Getting an AC tune-up is easy and convenient when you work with Constellation Home. Schedule your next tune-up service now.
