Perth has experienced a long, cold winter. If you’ve had the heating working overtime on your ducted reverse cycle or split system air conditioner you should be thinking about booking it in for a service.
Even if your unit is cooling only, now is the time to have it checked over before you start firing it up for summer. Avoiding or delaying a service can cause issues for your unit as well as potential health issues for you and your family.
So, how often should you service your air conditioning? It’s not as frequent as you may think but the benefits will certainly be noticeable.
When To Service My Air Conditioning
As mentioned above, some reverse cycle air conditioners would have been working hard over winter. In general terms, it’s advised to service an air conditioner every 12 months. However, if you’re air conditioner has experienced heavy use it might be wise to book a 6-month service. For commercial air conditioners, they should be serviced every quarter (3 months). Regular servicing will help pick up any issues early and will more than likely extend the life of your air conditioning unit. When you consider how much you spend on a new unit, a service is a small, but wise, investment.
What’s Involved In An Air Conditioning Service?
The following checks and part replacements will keep your air conditioning unit operating at peak performance.
Ducted and Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning
- Check and repair the inside ducts
- Clean out the air filters
- Check the control system is operating correctly
- Replace batteries in remotes and control pads
- Clean the condenser coils
- Check refrigerant levels
- Ensure all the functions of your air conditioner are working properly
- Inspect electrical wiring to check for splits and cracks
- Check the airflow is strong and consistent
- Replace any screws, bolts that may be missing
- Carry out an inspection of the duct connections
Split System Air Conditioner
- Inspect and clean all filters
- Clean the condenser coils
- Check refrigerant levels
- Ensure all the functions of your air conditioner are working properly
- Inspect electrical wiring to check for splits and cracks
- Replace batteries in remotes
- Check the system’s airflow
Will The Air Become Contaminated If I Miss A Service?
Air conditioning systems can become a breeding ground for bacteria. This is why it’s so vital to book in a regular service.
If you do bypass your regular services, you may start to experience health issues that are commonly associated with contaminated air. Theses can include:
- hay fever
- sore throat
- dry eyes
- headaches
- tightness of the chest
- allergies
- asthma attack
- colds and flu
What If My Air Conditioner Needs An Urgent Service?
As with all electrical equipment, incidents can happen without notice. However, there are signs that indicate your air conditioner needs an urgent service.
Airflow reduced
If you’ve noticed the airflow of your air conditioning unit has reduced, you should book a service immediately. It could be several issues causing the airflow problems, ignoring the issue will only make it worse.
Energy bill increased
Any unexpected increase in your energy bill is a sign that your AC unit is working harder. Check your unit for any blockages or call in an expert to assess the situation.
Usual noises & smell
If you can hear the motor clunking or any other strange noise coming from your unit, it’s not a good sign. If left unchecked, mechanical problems can become a bigger pain and a bigger expense. Weird smells are also an indication that mould or bacteria may be forming inside the unit.
Whether you’ve had your heating running continuously over winter or your air con unit has been sitting idle, it’s a good idea to book it in for a service. If you’d like a free quote on servicing your air conditioning unit contact Perth City Air today.
Perth City Air is one of Perth’s leading air conditioning and heating experts and service most of the top brand units including Daiken, Mitsubishi and Panasonic.
