Do you want to cut down on air conditioner repair costs? If you want to avoid having your unit break down, there are simple things you can do to save you a lot of money. These include simple maintenance procedures that you can do yourself. There are filters that can be checked and replaced, and even some repairs that you can do yourself, if it doesn’t interfere with your product warranty.
One of the first things you really need to do is review your owner’s manual carefully. There is a section on maintenance, and you should study this closely. It will give you all the details that you need to do your own maintenance, as well as how often you need to do it. Here is just some of the things that you can do as an individual owner that can help cut your repair costs.
The first thing you need to do before you touch anything is to turn off the power to the unit itself. Many people forget to do this, and this when trying to check things over cause shorts that can make you need air conditioner repair right away, or give yourself a nasty electric shock. It’s not enough to just turn off the unit itself, you need to find the breaker the unit is on and turn it off as well.
You need to check the obvious first. Take off the access panel where the filters are located, and change these filters regularly, at least twice a year, more if you live in areas that are dusty, or have a lot of pollutants. A good idea to keep you in the habit is to change it when you first start using it, and again when the hot part of the year is over. For those people who live where you may need it, or when there is a combination heating and air conditioner, then you should change it out at the same time you adjust your clocks.
Avoiding the cost of air conditioner repair means using common sense, knowing what you can do on your own, and what you should have a professional do for you. Check for any obvious signs of wear, leaking coolant, oil from motors or bearings. These could be a sign they need to be replaced. If you have an outside unit, make sure you buy some kind of covering for it in the Winter. You also need to make sure there are no plants or weeds growing within a foot around the unit itself.
To avoid air conditioner repairs, it is a good idea to have a professional come out at least twice a year and do an inspection of the unit itself. They can make any adjustments, and do maintainance on items that are more complicated than you can do on your own. They can also trouble shoot problems, and fix them before they damage your air conditioner. While it may cost a fee for this service, it is far cheaper than having someone come out and repair it because you were negligent in keeping up on routine maintenance.
