Air Conditioner Maintenance
Nobody will be surprised if I say “No air conditioner is an emergency”, especially during the long, long South Florida summertime. From April to November the temperatures range from high 80F to 97F, and the feel-like temperature is at least 10 degrees higher. Yes, definitely no a/c is an emergency. Air conditioner maintenance is a MUST to avoid this emergencies.
Air conditioner units have a whole technical aspect that involves room size, air circulation, capacities (BTUs) humidity, etc. In this article, I will avoid talking about the technical aspects, and I will address the topic from a user perspective.
After many years servicing condo units at Miami Beach I have learned a couple of things about air conditioner maintenance that I want to share with you.
Wall and Window Air Conditioners
The installation of this type of cooling system is the first “must-do-right” procedure to guarantee a long life and efficient working a/c.
Jose from Reeve Air Conditioner, a South Florida Friedrich authorized dealer, told me: “A quarter bobble is a key”… what? What is that? I said.
He laughed and explain to me that the installation of a new unit must follow a specific inclination. He referred to the bobble in the tool to measure the level. It must be off the center about a quarter with the inclination downward outside the apartment. This little trick makes a big difference. It gives time for the a/c to evaporate the water created by condensation without creating a constant water leak to the hallways or any area outside the apartment that can be affected by the constant humidity. It also prevents a/c’s elements, like the bottom of the coil or the base of the compressor to get rusted, giving a long-lasting life to your a/c unit.
Of course, during humidity and hot months, an air conditioner, working at full capacity, will create water condensation, dripping water out of the a/c unit. That’s ok, it is usual. Do not panic! Is not a bad installation. Given the high humidity in tropical weather all year round, we must spect that to happen.
To fix the water issue, we can place a tray connected to a drain pipe diverting the water condensation to the building drainage system. Sometimes it is not possible and other solutions can be applied.
Central A/C
For central a/c, is crucial to clean the coil and unclog the water pipe and place a new filter before the hot months. Replacing the filters once a month and purring a cup of pipe cleaner to the condensation tray is a good way to prevent any “emergency”.
A/C Maintenance
From July to October, the ac units work at full capacity, especially with the new “work from home era”
Getting your ac unit ready to go throughout these months is important. Schedule a maintenance service twice a year could be a good habit. Let said before the hot months between March and April and a second service around October or November.
A/C Maintenance Specialist
It is very frustrating when you have an emergency and you have to start contacting unknown contractors and they never come on time or even worst! They never show up!
Having one or two A/C contractors that are reliable and responsive is a “Must”.
Scan the market, and having two a/c specialists that service your area is a good thing to have handy.
As a handyman, I am able to service wall and windows A/C units. For Central air conditioners, I work with reliable contractors that I know for years and are trustworthy.
General tips, from specialists, are:
1. Seal doors and windows.
This will prevent your cold air to leak outside and for this reason, your a/c unit will work less and your electricity bill will decrease.
2. Thermostat setting
Keep your thermostat in save mode at 72 F to 76 F degrees. If your a/c unit capacity is appropriate, at this range your room temperature should be pleasant. If your a/c unit capacity is less than required, you will need to lower your thermostat temperature and make your cooling system work more stressed.
Set your thermostat from 78 F to 82 F degree when you are not at home.
Nowadays there are a/c systems that can be controlled remotely with a phone application. Adjusting your a/c system’s thermostat at a lower temperature 20 or 30 minutes before you get home, is at your fingertips, saving you money on your electricity bill, extending your cooling system life, and helping the environment. 😉.
3. Keep your filter clean.
This could be one of the easiest tasks to do, but your tenants may not be aware of it and neglect to do it. Educating your tenants about this will help to extend your a/c life and reduce the electricity bill as well.
4. Avoid blockages.
Probably not applicable for central air conditioner units or split units that locate the blower up, close to the ceilings. However, windows and wall units are usually at lower levels.
I don’t know how many times, tenants call me to report an issue as follows:
“My living room a/c is not cooling enough!”
When I check the a/c, it is working properly, but a sofa is right in front of it, diminishing the air circulation and absorbing the cool air by the spongy fabric. Or a Dinning table and the chairs causing the same blockage.
Ensure the air circulation flows freely through the room.
5. Have a budget set aside for the new a/c system.
Last but not least. Nothing is forever, (only true love). a/c systems are not the exception to the rule and eventually, you will need to say goodbye to your beloved air conditioner and install a beautiful modern unit. Depending on the room size, and type of cooling system you use, it can be expensive, not only for the unit itself but the installation. My last tip is to have the resources to act fast when your old a/c system needs a replacement.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you to some degree, to understand and manage your cooling systems.
As a maintenance man, working for more than 20 years in the area of Miami Beach, I center my attention mostly on the cooling system rather than the heating element of the air conditioning. for obvious reasons. The last time I needed to turn on the heater in Miami Beach was probably more than ten years ago.
Anyways, the intention of my blog’s article is to provide examples and tips from my personal experience, by no means do I pretend to replace reading material or documentation from the cooling system equipment installed at your properties. For specific functioning and technical support of your cooling system equipment, please refer to your user manual and customer service provided by your cooling system equipment.