Bellows Plumbing, Heating & Sewer

Season Opens for Air Conditioner Preventative Tune Up

Friday 2/19/2010

For those of you on the Santa Cruz coast air conditioning is a foreign concept and hardly any residential homes except for those in Felton, Scotts Valley, and Ben Lomond even have an AC system. But, for our clients in Los Gatos, San Jose, and Santa Clara air conditioning is something we can’t live without.  Early air conditioner maintenance can prevent small problems from becoming big problems down the road and keep you cool all summer long.

The main reason to schedule annual air conditioner maintenance is to save money. To start you can greatly increase the chances that your A/C technician will catch small problems before they become big ones. Repairing a small refrigerant leak shouldn't cost much more than $200, but buying a new compressor when low refrigerant levels burn your current one out can cost upwards of a couple thousand. An annual checkup also ensures that you’re A/C unit running at optimal efficiency. Those PG&E bills aren’t getting any cheaper. The small expense of an annual tune up can save you hundreds in wasted utility bills.

Not all HVAC companies check the same items. Below is a short list of the things a Bellows Plumbing, Heating, and Sewer technician will look at. We will:

Check for proper refrigerant levels. Low levels indicate a leak that needs to be found and repaired immediately. Low refrigerant levels can burn out your compressor, resulting in the most costly repair when it comes to A/C, period.

Check all electrical components and controls to make sure they're working properly.

Clean evaporator and condenser coils. Dirty evaporators and coils reduce the energy efficiency and cooling ability of your unit.

Oil motors as needed.

Calibrate thermostat to make sure your A/C isn't working overtime.

Check the condenser for any possible problems.

Check, clean, and/or replace filters.

An annual air conditioner check up is the easiest way to keep your air conditioner in top condition for years to come. If you’re in the greater Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Salinas, or Monterey area don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule you 2010 air conditioning tune up.  

Posted: by Jason S
Tags: HVAC, Air Conditioning, A/C, Tune Up