How often should I service my Residential Air Conditioner?

Having an air conditioner in Perth, WA, is a necessity. During the hottest months of the year, millions of families rely on their air con unit to keep the home cool, comfortable and temperature controlled.

However, to keep your unit operating at a peak performance level and to ensure its longevity, regular servicing is required. But while many people understand that maintenance is critical, many of our customers are unsure how often they should be scheduling check-ups on their air conditioners.

In this blog, we’ll outline everything you need to know about organising frequent HVAC services and maintenance and help you keep on top of your servicing to try ensure there are no nasty air conditioner repairs costs down the road.

Is air conditioner servicing really that necessary?

Regular maintenance might seem like a cost you can do without, but if you want your AC to continue performing at a high level it’s essential.

Getting your air con serviced by a team of professionals regularly offers a number of benefits.

1. It ensures that your air con is operating as efficiently as possible.
2. It helps to diagnose potential issues that need repairs before they become too costly or significant.
3. It will help reduce energy costs by ensuring optimal operation.
4. Maintenance will keep it working better for longer and extend the life of the unit.

How often do you need air conditioner or HVAC services?

The best way to think about servicing your air conditioner is like going for a check-up or hygiene appointment at the dentist or taking your car in for regular servicing.

Your air conditioner unit is the same thing. Regular, on-scheduled check-ups will help ensure minor issues can be caught and fixed before they become major issues.

Ideally, air cons should be serviced twice a year, but – at the very least – once a year will be fine. The best time to arrange a maintenance check of your air con is before the warmer months kick in and you anticipate increased use of the unit, and once before the colder months when you’ll be relying on more heating usage.

Factors to Consider

The above recommendation, however, doesn’t take into account some additional factors that could influence the operation of your air con unit or affect the recommended frequency of maintenance checks.

1. Climate
   For those of you living here in Perth, WA, you may find that your air cons are used mostly during the summer months. If you’re opting for a once-a-year check-up, consider your timing accordingly.
2. Usage
   The more often you use your air con and the more it runs the more likely it is that you’ll need regular services and maintenance.
3. Unit Age
   The older the air con unit the more susceptible it is to the effects of wear and tear. Making sure your air cons are up to scratch with regular servicing will keep even older systems running as efficiently as possible.
4. Home Location
   In addition to the climate, the actual location of your home can affect your air con’s operability. Homes near a beach can be subject to larger build ups of salt. Homes in more regional locations may be subject to more dust build ups. Maintenance should be organised accordingly.

Signs Your Air Con Needs a Service

While arranging regular air con and HVAC services is the best way to keep your unit running as well as it should, sometimes air conditioner repairs or ad hoc maintenance cannot be avoided. To help you know when to pick up the phone and call the Stinson Air & Solar team, here are some signs you need to recognise to ensure it’s serviced and repaired before the problem gets out of hand.

Strange Noises

Air conditioners make noise when they are in use. That’s normal. However, if the noise doesn’t sound like it normally does, or there are additional noises being made that weren’t there before, this could indicate something is wrong. We recommend having your air con serviced as soon as is practical.

Unusual Odours

Like noise, if your air con starts to give off a strange, bad or unusual odour it may indicate that something is wrong, stuck or broken. As soon as you notice that a bad smell is emanating from your unit, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry.

Air Quality

The quality of air being pushed out from your unit could become contaminated if something is wrong within. If you begin to notice that your home is no longer smelling, seeming or even ‘tasting’ as fresh as it was, make sure to give our team a call.

Ineffective Climate Control

It’s not too much to expect of your air con that it will provide cold or hot air when in operation. If the air coming out doesn’t quite seem to match the temperature of the setting you’ve put it onto match the temperature of the setting you’ve put it on, there might be something wrong with the unit itself.

High Power Bills

Power bills fluctuate with energy usage. The warmer and colder months, therefore, will probably incur higher electricity bills as a result. However, if your bill is suddenly and inexplicably much higher than usual, it might be because of your air con’s inefficient operation. Getting the unit serviced and maintained can help to minimise this risk and ensure effective, efficient ongoing operation.

Need air conditioner repairs? Looking to arrange a service? Call Stinson Air & Solar

If you’re expecting your air conditioner to keep you cool this summer or warm throughout the winter, make sure you arrange a service with a professional, reliable and reputable team: Like the team right here at Stinson Air & Solar. We’re always happy to help ensure that our customers’ air conditioners Perth wide are operating as well as possible.

To find out more, just give us a call today.