Houston air conditioner repair — no one likes it, but it’s a fact of life in the Bayou City. The good news is that proper system maintenance can be key to avoiding costly air conditioner repair down the line. All it takes is a few simple steps that can be done with the help of our Flex Heating and Air inspection team.
In this post, we’ll provide you with several examples of quick and easy ways to help get the best and highest-quality performance out of your AC or heating unit through annual checkups. At Flex Heating and Air, we understand that your comfort is your first priority. So it has become our first priority as well. Our staff is here to help, and to answer any questions you may have.
Let’s dive right into a few steps on how Houston air conditioner repair can be avoided through proper system maintenance:
1. Check the thermostat
This one may seem simple, but it’s often the simplest tasks that can lead to the biggest payoffs – or in this case, can help avoid bigger costs down the line. Before anything else, occasional status checks on your thermostat every so often from our team can make sure that it is properly pumping the right kind of air into your home at the right temperature to keep your home comfortable for you and your family.
2. Swap out dirty/clogged air filters
It’s a dirty job, but here’s another simple tip to keep your air conditioning system functioning smoothly. Over time, various dust, dirt, particles and other debris will catch on the filter and decrease the air flow within the system. Your system will need to work that much harder to clean the air if this happens, potentially leading to dustier airflow within your home. There’s also another benefit – in addition to mitigating the need for repair, replacing a clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by at least 5 percent according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
So make sure and check your filters every few months to see if new, clean ones are needed. Our team at Flex Heating and Air is on call for any of your filter needs.
3. Make sure Houston air conditioner AC unit coils are free and clear
It’s not just the internal components that need maintenance, as most HVAC units have an external unit in addition to the internal unit. Both components work together to cool and heat your home, and both need proper maintenance to run efficiently. Making sure your AC unit’s evaporator coils are checked by one of our inspectors at least once per year.
All the dirt, grass and various other debris that can collect in and around an external unit from trees or shrubbery can get caught up and sucked into the unit, in turn decreasing your air flow. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests removing any debris and trimming any foliage back by at least two feet in order to allow for adequate airflow around your condenser unit, so a worker from our team can easily make sure the area around your unit is clear as possible.
4. Maintain coil fins
The aluminum fins on your condenser coils may not look like much, but they absolutely play just as important a role in maintaining air flow. If coils somehow wind up getting bent or damaged, they can block the airflow. The resulting blockage can cause your system to work much harder to cool or heat your home.
So during the course of our inspections, we will carefully inspect the coils, and can gently comb the fins back if needed.
5. Make sure all wiring is in good shape
It may not be the first thing that pops into your mind when it comes to HVAC system maintenance – but it requires internal wiring and mechanisms much like anything else, so it’s important to make sure it stays up-to-date and in good health.
Our inspectors can come out and check the unit’s wiring for any signs of overheating that may have a negative impact on your system’s efficiency – thus increasing your costs in the future if problems do arise.
6. Check the condensate drain
Sometimes, water and condensation can collect, causing the drains in your unit to clog up. If this happens, your unit’s ability to decrease humidity will be severely affected. It is typically most identified by excess moisture and water puddling around the furnace. If you notice anything like this – or just want to err on the side of caution and give you and your family some peace of mind – go ahead and give our team at Flex Heating and Air a call, and we will send an inspector out to take a closer look.
Why choose us for Houston air conditioner repair and maintenance
Here at Flex Heating and Air, your comfort is our priority. You may have been let down by a previous contractor, but at Flex Heating and Air it is all about you. All the work we do is for your benefit, so you can trust that when you call us out to inspect or perform routine maintenance on your HVAC unit, you’re going to get the highest-quality inspections and service.
Some of these steps may seem unnecessary, but in the end we truly believe that it is better to preemptively strike and make sure you can avoid costly repairs down the line with these simple steps.
When push comes to shove, we all want to feel comfortable in our own home, whether it be during those sweltering summer days or those cold winter nights. So having an inspector come out every so often to take care of the above – and other – maintenance checkpoints are good starting points to ensure proper and efficient operation of your system so you can comfortably live your life no matter what the Houston weather decides to throw at us next.