There are several risks associated with neglecting air conditioning maintenance. The summer heat in Vancouver is approaching quickly, and most of us already have our air conditioners running to stay relaxed and comfortable. But when did you last do a maintenance check on your air conditioner? Even without noticeable issues, it’s best to assess your air conditioner at least once a year to ensure it performs correctly and efficiently.
The Risks of Neglecting Air Conditioning Maintenance
- Frequent breakdowns and costly repairs
- Loss of Air Cooling Efficiency
- Poor Indoor Air Quality
- Damaged Ductwork
- Reduced Lifespan
Frequent breakdowns and costly repairs
Air conditioning parts are prone to wear and break down without adequate maintenance. Your air conditioner has many moving parts that help take in outdoor air, cool the air, and blow it into your home. The more you use your air conditioner without regular maintenance, the more likely it is to experience breakdowns. And dealing with an air conditioning breakdown can be taxing on your wallet.
Loss of Air Cooling Efficiency
Regular maintenance makes an air conditioner more likely to operate at optimal levels. With the neglect of maintenance, you risk losing air-cooling efficiency and running your air conditioner with a low coolant level. As time passes, the motor may fail, or parts may become worn out.
Each part will work harder to keep your home at the desired temperature, thus wearing out your air conditioner faster. If you operate the air conditioner on a low coolant level, it will take much longer to cool the air, increasing its energy consumption.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
Your air conditioner does more than keep your home comfortable and cool during the warm months. It also impacts your air quality as air flows through your air conditioner, a filter traps and removes contaminants and pollutants from the air. Without maintenance, the air filter becomes dirty and will eventually clog. Poor indoor air quality may affect you or someone in your home if they suffer from allergies, asthma, or other respiratory health conditions.
Damaged Ductwork
The longer your air conditioner goes without maintenance, the higher than chance your cooling system’s parts will break down or get dirty. For example, if a portion of your ductwork has a tear or hole, cool air will escape through the damaged area before it can be distributed through your home. This may result in cold and hot spots throughout your home.
With a tear in the ductwork, your air conditioner must work harder to cool your home and maintain the desired temperature. As your air conditioner works harder to keep up with cooling, costs will rise to cover the excessive energy consumption.
Reduced Lifespan
Air conditioners have an average lifespan of 10-15 years with regular maintenance. Neglecting air conditioning systems run every summer season without any maintenance may eventually quit working unexpectedly. If maintenance is neglected, you risk reducing the lifespan of your air conditioner and increasing your chances of costly repairs or, worse, an expensive upgrade to a new air conditioning system.
To prevent these risks, we recommend scheduling regular maintenance every spring, before the heat of the summer season hits, to maintain a well-working and efficient air conditioning system with no issues. If you have found you are experiencing any one of these issues, we recommend contacting a professional HVAC technician to assist you with an assessment and repairs.
Here at CampbellCare, we aim to deliver professional quality repair. Our technicians have years of experience and training and can quickly diagnose what is wrong with your HVAC system. We can then provide you with multiple options and a competitive quote for the repair. Contact us today with your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning questions!