One great thing about living in the Eugene area is that you rarely have to deal with extreme heat during the summer. Our milder climate means air conditioning systems don’t have to do nearly the amount of work or run as much as they do in many other parts of the country.
The decreased workload leads many homeowners to believe that there’s really no point in paying to have their AC system professionally serviced every year, but the fact is that annual tune-ups are always worth it. Even in a mild climate, certain issues are bound to arise if an AC system isn’t serviced and inspected every year to keep it in good condition. In this article, we’ll look at what some of these issues are and discuss all of the benefits that annual AC tune-ups provide.
Poor Efficiency and Higher Electricity Bills
Most households in Eugene only pay around $100-$200 a year at the very most to run their air conditioning. While this isn’t a huge expense, you could easily end up paying more than double what you normally would if you don’t make sure to keep your AC properly maintained and change the air filter regularly. Even a thin layer of dirt and dust on the evaporator or condenser coils can make an AC system work around 20% less efficiently.
If either or both coils are dirty to a higher degree, the efficiency can drop by over 40%. Not changing the air filter often enough and letting it get clogged can result in at least a 15% reduction in efficiency. When you start to add all of these things up, you can quickly see why annual maintenance is beneficial in terms of keeping your summer electricity bills lower.
Increased Need for Repairs and Higher Repair Costs
Annual tune-ups can also save you money by avoiding issues that require professional repairs. A well-maintained AC system is under less strain when it runs and doesn’t experience nearly the same amount of wear and tear as it would if you neglected the system and just let it run year after year without any type of maintenance. If you neglect your AC, you can be almost guaranteed that certain components will wear out and fail sooner. This is especially the case with the compressor and condenser fan motors.
One concern is that these motors may experience issues with overheating, particularly on hotter days. These components are driven by bearings, which need to be sufficiently lubricated to work properly. Overheating often results in the lubricant breaking down or becoming much thinner, resulting in the bearings not being sufficiently lubricated. When this happens, the bearings will create more friction and the motor will get even hotter.
The friction and heat can then cause the bearings or the motor itself to give out. The worst thing that can happen is for the compressor motor to die, as you’ll usually have to pay $1,000 at the very least to have a professional replace it. (It’s often better to just replace the entire system at that point.) This is another reason why annual tune-ups are essential since they can help you avoid extremely expensive repairs.
AC Frequently Freezing Up
Even in a drier climate like ours, some amount of condensation continually forms on the evaporator coil as the AC runs. Even though the refrigerant flowing through the coil is extremely cold, the warm air blowing across the coil normally prevents this moisture from freezing. However, the coil can quickly freeze up when certain issues are present, most of which can be easily prevented with regular maintenance.
The two main things you need to worry about are the coil being covered with a thick layer of dust and the incoming airflow being restricted because either the blower or the air filter is overly dirty. Dust on the coil creates a layer of insulation that prevents the warm air from flowing directly over the coil, which often results in it getting so cold that frost begins to form and the coil freezes up. Insufficient airflow creates the same type of issue, resulting in the coil becoming so cold that frost forms or condensation freezes instead of dripping off into the drain pan.
A frozen evaporator coil poses two concerns. The first is that it prevents the AC system from being able to cool, meaning you then have no option but to shut the system off and wait for the ice to melt. The bigger concern is that there’s a chance that the compressor may burn out as a result of liquid refrigerant flowing into it and causing the oil to burn off.
Shorter Life Expectancy
In places with overly hot summers, AC systems often fail after 10-12 years due to how many hours they run each year and also because extreme heat puts lots of stress on the system. In Eugene, you can often get 15-20 years out of an AC system before it fails or can no longer cool as effectively as you need it to. However, this is assuming that the system is professionally serviced every year. If you were to install a new AC system and then never get it serviced, it may not last for more than six to eight years before a catastrophic problem like a failed compressor arises.
Voided Warranty
Almost every new AC system comes with a manufacturer’s limited parts warranty, provided that the system was installed by a certified professional. The warranty is usually good for 10 years if you register the system with the manufacturer within 90 days of the installation, or five years if you don’t register it.
The purpose of the warranty is to cover the system in case it has any defective components that fail and need to be replaced. If this happens, the manufacturer will provide the necessary replacement part at no cost. All you’ll have to pay is the labor fee to have a professional swap out the components.
Keep in mind that annual maintenance is a requirement for the warranty to remain valid, and the manufacturer will almost certainly not honor the warranty if you can’t provide proof of annual maintenance. Even if a component truly is defective, the manufacturer can easily claim that neglect was a major contributing factor to its failure. Some replacement components aren’t all that expensive, but you’ll be out hundreds or even thousands of dollars if the compressor fails due to neglect and your warranty claim is denied.
Look to the Pros
Reynolds Electric, Plumbing, Heating and Air has been serving the Eugene area since 1960, and our team is dedicated to providing premier home services. We have experience working on cooling and heating equipment from any manufacturer and are ready to take care of your HVAC maintenance and repair needs. If you’re dealing with a breakdown, we can quickly diagnose the cause and provide honest, objective advice as to whether repair or replacement is the better option. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get your AC system the help it needs.
Contact us today to schedule a tune-up and enjoy the benefit of efficient, effective cooling all summer long.
