Annual AC Maintenance Checklist
Keeping your air conditioning system in good condition should be a top priority for any homeowner – but it’s particularly important here in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Our summers are hot, to say the least, and you want to make sure your system is up to the challenge ahead when summer arrives. A good A/C system can make the difference between an enjoyable summer and one that you can’t wait until it ends.
With this in mind, we would like to present you with an annual AC maintenance checklist. Some items below you can handle on your own, while others will require the help of a professional team like Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric. Give us a call today to schedule a maintenance service and anything else that you might need us to do. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
A DIY Annual Maintenance Checklist List
To get started, we’d like to offer a list of projects that you can tackle on your own. These are the basics of air conditioner maintenance and don’t typically require calling in an HVAC contractor for help. Make it a point to add these to your calendar at the appropriate intervals so you can avoid falling behind as the months pass by.
- Changing the air filter. While this is a list of annual maintenance points, it’s important to change your air filter more than once per year. For the average homeowner, changing the filter once every three months or so should be about right. However, make it a point to check on the condition of the filter and change it more frequently if you see that it is getting dirty. Air filters are affordable and easy to change, so there is no reason to skip out on this important task.
- Checking the vents. It’s also a good idea to walk around your home and check on the condition of the vents that serve your system. First, make sure they are all open, or that the ones you want to have closed are still closed. Also, look to see if there is any buildup on the surface of the vents, as this can be an indication that the air flowing through your system is rather dirty. In that case, it’s worth exploring having your ducts cleaned and inspected to make sure no holes or cracks have developed.
- Look over the outdoor unit. Also, head outside and visually inspect the condition of the outdoor unit portion of your air conditioner. Make sure the coils aren’t starting to freeze up – which you can tell by the presence of frost or ice – and make sure vegetation is not growing over the unit and restricting airflow.
The Pro AC Annual Maintenance CheckList
It’s not a good idea to attempt to do all of your air conditioning maintenance as a DIY task. While the points we talked about above are easy to handle for the average homeowner, going much further than that could be dangerous and could lead to more harm than good. So, for the points below, be sure to bring in the team at Walker to make sure everything is done safely and properly.
- Clean the outdoor unit. It’s a good idea to have this unit cleaned annually. Since it lives outside, it is subjected to the elements and will gradually pick up dirt and grime along the way. A professional cleaning will help it operate properly, so the efficiency of the system remains as high as possible.
- Inspecting refrigerant lines. The lines that carry refrigerant into your home and back out again are essential in an air conditioning system, so having these checked annually for any leaks or damage is important. Also, if the level of refrigerant in the system is too low, it can be topped off by a qualified contractor.
- Lubricate parts as necessary. If your air conditioner is on the older side, it might have parts that need to be lubricated periodically to keep them running smoothly. This is typically not needed on newer units, but it’s still worth asking about just to be sure.
As you can see, the maintenance work required on an air conditioning system each year is not overwhelming. These points are relatively affordable and none of them will take very long to complete. As long as you have a trusted HVAC professional on your side – such as Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric – you should be able to keep up with your maintenance requirements without taking much time out of your day to day life. Get in touch today to get started!
