Most HVAC contractors recommend their customers schedule maintenance for their air conditioning systems during the spring. This fits the maintenance in at an ideal time, when the weather is starting to warm up but isn’t yet warm enough to make an AC necessary. HVAC contractors are less busy in this period, making scheduling simple.
The situation is a bit different in Florida. The official start of spring isn’t until the third week of March, but our weather can warm up much faster with higher humidity. It’s a good idea to be prepped for hot conditions starting in April.
So if you’re already thinking about arranging for AC maintenance here in late February—that’s good! We think it’s best to arrange for your regular maintenance before the rush of other homeowners who realize the weather is starting to turn hot.
Although we experience some wet and cold days during the winters in North Central Florida, we also still have hot days. Air conditioners are expected to work throughout the year around here. That means you need to make sure your home’s AC is prepared to get through each season. The biggest concern is summer, which is why we stress having professional maintenance done in the spring, right before the period when the AC will run the most.
Corrosion is a major enemy of most metal devices and appliances. With air conditioners, corrosion along the evaporator or condenser coils is responsible for 40% of system failures. Corrosion can happen quickly and may result from years of moisture exposure.
Short answer: Probably not. You can lower them.
Temperatures are rising in Florida, but the rain is also falling, so we aren’t quite into the full heat of summer yet. Your utility bills won’t show the price spike you expect when your air conditioning system starts running on a regular basis.
We often recommend UV air purifiers to our customers who are looking for the best in indoor air quality. UV air purifiers use the power of ultraviolet radiation, the same energy that comes from the UV rays in the sun, to kill organic pollutants moving through a home’s HVAC system. This includes bacteria, germs, viruses, and mold spores. UV air purifiers are especially helpful for the Florida climate, which is humid enough to make it easy for many unpleasant organic pollutants to thrive. Mold in particular is a problem that can get into many ventilation systems, where it not only releases unhealthy mold spores but can create damage to the ductwork.
One of the most important services that we offer our customers is routine maintenance service for their cooling and heating systems. We strongly recommend homeowners arrange for a maintenance tune-up and inspection in spring for their air conditioning systems. The work we do on your AC, such as tightening electrical connections, lubricating moving parts, and checking for a drop in refrigerant pressure, will give the system the best chance of making it through another sweltering Florida summer without suffering a breakdown. That will give you peace of mind, one of the best rewards.
When is the last time you had a professional HVAC technician (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) in your home? If you’re like most people, you only call in an HVAC company when something goes wrong, or when you need a new system installed. This means it may have been years since your last visit, but we think this is a mistake.
Everyone wants to get the most years of service out of their climate control systems as possible. These are big investments, after all, and replacing them after only a few years would be quite a blow. Keeping your eye out for signs that your system is in trouble is a good way to mitigate any problems that might come up. However, it’s not the best way to ensure that your system is in good shape. If you want to keep your air conditioner in good condition for this summer, and the next ten summers beyond, get on a maintenance plan.