Any mechanical system needs regular maintenance, and your air conditioner is no different. You wouldn’t dare skip out on bringing your car in for its regular oil changes—knowing what the consequences of doing so could be—so why neglect your air conditioner? It’s as simple as an online search for “AC maintenance near me.”

Remember that your air conditioner is made up of a complex array of moving parts, including electrical elements and coolants that are kept under pressure. All of these varied parts eventually wear out over time, leading to problems with the machine unless they are repaired or replaced. That’s to say nothing of the constant flow of air, which carries with it dust, dirt, and other particulate matter that can build up year after year.

For these reasons, it’s crucial that you contact HVAC experts such as All Weather Heating & Cooling and ask for AC maintenance at least once a year. Below, we’ve listed the top five benefits of doing so:

1. Save Money on Costly Repairs

As we’ve mentioned, wear and tear can build up over time in any mechanical system. Often, this damage is invisible for quite a while; that is, until something actually breaks. Since your air conditioner is a complicated piece of machinery, the failure of any one of a number of parts can cause the machine to stop working entirely. Obviously, this can be expensive to fix, especially if it happens during the hottest days of the summer when you depend upon your AC unit and have to call for an emergency repair.

As part of regular AC maintenance, your heating and cooling professional will inspect each of the parts of your air conditioner to ensure they are in good working order. This means checking the coolant pressure and all electrical connections and making sure there are no leaks and no rust developing on the metal parts.

2. Maintain Your Warranty

Many air conditioning units are covered by a warranty when you purchase them. At All Weather Heating & Cooling, we are proud to stock Carrier air conditioning units that come with a 10-year limited warranty on parts, meaning that if a certain key part fails, the warranty will cover its replacement. Ten years is a significant chunk of the lifetime of an air conditioner unit—they should usually be replaced after about ten or fifteen years.

Of course, to maintain the warranty, you’ll need to keep your AC unit in good working order. This means not ignoring any mechanical issues that arise, since doing so could void the warranty. It may also void the warranty if you neglect to have your air conditioner maintained regularly, which is another reason you should absolutely schedule annual maintenance.

3. Improved Energy Efficiency

Not every mechanical failure in an air conditioning unit is catastrophic. Many are gradually, slowly chipping away at your air conditioner’s energy efficiency, forcing it to make use of more and more electricity and driving up your monthly bill. For example, a buildup of dirt and dust in the ventilation system of your air conditioner will slow the movement of air, which causes the air conditioner to work harder to provide the same amount of cooling power. Part of the annual maintenance your AC professional performs will be to change filters and clear the dust and dirt out of the vents.

Another common issue that leads to reduced efficiency of an air conditioning unit is a faulty thermostat. It’s the thermostat that interfaces with the machinery itself, but to do so effectively the thermostat must be able to correctly measure the indoor temperature and adjust accordingly. If it fails to do so, your air conditioner won’t function at peak performance, which once again will drive up your energy costs. Regular maintenance will ensure a properly functioning thermostat with a clear electrical connection.

4. Better Air Quality

A properly functioning air conditioner is about more than just comfort; it’s also about the health of every inhabitant of a building. The constant flow of air throughout your home’s ventilation system will blow around more than just cooled air. Dust, dirt, allergens, and other particulates that have found their way into your home can build up in your AC unit and then circulate throughout the entire home when the system turns on.

Constant exposure to an elevated amount of dust and other irritants can lead to allergies, not to mention exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions. It can also increase incidences of colds, the flu, and other illnesses. As part of your annual maintenance, your AC professional will clean the ducts and filters, vastly improving the air quality in your home.

5. Stay Safer During Hot Weather

We can’t ignore the fact that dangerously hot weather is becoming more common, which is a particular risk for children, the elderly, and individuals with certain health conditions. When the temperature becomes high enough that it becomes a health hazard, these individuals will need a safe place to take shelter from the heat. This means that it’s more important than ever to have a functioning air conditioner.

While many HVAC companies offer emergency repairs, it’s important to note that high-use seasons—winter for furnaces and summer for AC units—are an HVAC professional’s busiest times of the year. By the time you realize there’s a problem and call for help, you could be waiting a few hours for service, all the while your home is growing warmer.

As we’ve discussed, during annual maintenance, the HVAC technician will clean and check all parts of your AC system to be sure everything from your thermostat to the condenser coils is functioning as it should. This helps ensure the unit is ready for the hard work ahead and lowers the risk of a system failure when you need your air conditioner most.

All Weather Heating & Cooling has earned the distinguished, national endorsement as a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer. One that less than 5 percent of HVAC companies hold Nationally. Factory Authorized Dealers have fulfilled a rigorous set of business standards and training to become the home heating and cooling experts to turn to. Ensure your air conditioner is in tip-top shape and ready for whatever heat the summer brings. Reach out to All Weather Heating & Cooling to schedule your regular AC maintenance today.