How Often Should You Get Your AC Serviced in Florida?

Wondering whether your air conditioner needs professional attention this year?

If you’ve never paid for a tune-up or servicing before, you might not even realize air conditioners need to be seen by a technician on a regular basis. However, avoiding regular AC maintenance is a good way to end up with a poorly performing, short-lived air conditioner prone to frequent repair needs.

Here’s what a typical schedule looks like for air conditioning maintenance, what a typical service visit looks like, the benefits of regular service, and what special concerns you might have about your system in Florida.

Typical Schedule for Professional AC Servicing

In most cases, professionals and manufacturers recommend you have your air conditioner — and your heating system — seen by an HVAC technician at least once a year, preferably just before the heat ramps up and you start really putting your air conditioner to work.

This schedule lets you maintain your comfort through the harshest months of the year with your air conditioner in its best possible state — which, as we’ll get to later, is important for many reasons.

What Gets Serviced?

You may be familiar with terms like maintenance, servicing, or tune-up, but they don’t really tell you what the technician is going to do when they visit. Let’s look at what a typical air conditioner service might look like:

• Clean or replace the air filter: This may be part of annual maintenance, or something you handle monthly as user maintenance.
• Calibrate the thermostat to make sure it’s operating properly: Poor thermostat function can ruin your energy efficiency.
• Check and tighten electrical connections: Secure electrical connections are key to safety and function.
• Test key components for appropriate amperage and voltage: Inappropriate voltage or amperage can rapidly destroy key components of your AC.
• Check all components for visible wear, damage, or corrosion: Worn or corroded parts are more likely to cause damage and waste energy.
• Lubricate moving parts to minimize friction after inspecting them for wear: Smooth movement will save you energy over time.
• Check and correct refrigerant levels for optimal function: Over time, refrigerant levels deplete, and your system can lose functionality; serious drops can indicate leaks.
• Check and clear the condensate drain line: Condensation should always be managed properly, lest it freeze or otherwise cause water damage.
• Inspect and test system controls and safety systems: The systems that manage your air conditioner and keep it running safely rarely need attention, but it’s good to be thorough.

Benefits of Regular AC Maintenance

There are several advantages to sticking with a regular air conditioning maintenance schedule, including:

• Improved energy efficiency: When your AC is clean and well-maintained, it doesn’t have to work as hard to reach the desired temperature. This results in greater energy efficiency and reduced utility bills.
• Reduced breakdown risk: By having an HVAC technician inspect your system regularly, you can identify potential problems early and address them before they lead to a complete breakdown on the hottest days of the year.
• Extended system lifespan: A properly maintained AC can last 15 to 20 years. By contrast, systems that don’t get regular tune-ups are at risk of failing much sooner.
• Enhanced AC performance: Routine maintenance helps improve your air conditioner’s overall performance, fixing problems before they get worse and enhancing reliability.
• Better air quality: Part of regular air conditioning maintenance means cleaning and replacing your air filters, which directly helps improve the air quality in your home.

Let Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning Help Address Unique Concerns in Florida

Florida residents have a few special reasons to pay attention to regular AC maintenance. First, there’s the sheer amount of use a typical air conditioner gets in a Florida home. When you’re pushing your system harder than average, it’s even more important to keep up with regular maintenance to control costs and risks.

Another reason is salt air corrosion, which can affect metals over 50 miles inland, more than enough to affect most of the state. If you notice this affecting your AC or other parts of your HVAC system, it’s worth scheduling more frequent maintenance or doing more of your own maintenance to prevent AC repairs.

Curious about the benefits of AC service, or want to schedule annual maintenance in the West Volusia area? Learn more about AC maintenance or schedule a visit by speaking with the team at Jacob Heating & Air Conditioning today.