Tru-Serve professional checking an air conditioning system.
When coils, filters and blower components are dirty they slow airflow and reduce the AC system's ability to cool, which can impact how efficient the system runs
Minneapolis, MN (Vocus) April 23, 2010
Temperatures in April and May generally mean a building enters a “free cooling” period, or a time when there’s no need to heat or to cool the building. When this mild weather hits is a good time to inspect and maintain your air conditioning for the warmer months ahead. AC systems require maintenance to continue operating smoothly and efficiently throughout the summer months.
“When coils, filters and blower components are dirty they slow airflow and reduce the AC system’s ability to cool, which can impact how efficient the system runs,” says Troy Norberg, General Manager for Tru-Serve, a Twin Cities property and buildings maintenance services company. “Airflow problems can diminish the system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.”
A thorough cleaning and tune-up of your air conditioning system should be done annually in the spring. Depending on how much the system is run during throughout the summer months, monthly filter cleaning or replacement may be needed.
“Now that spring is here it’s also a good idea to clean and make necessary repairs to the boiler too,” says Norberg.
Here is Norberg’s springtime maintenance checklist:
- Clean the evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils.
- Ensure the circuit breakers to the AC system are working
- Clean or change filters.
- Check belts for wear and replace if necessary.
- Clean and adjust blower components.
- Check the refrigerant level and adjust if necessary.
- Turn the air conditioner on to ensure it is working.
- Properly shut down the boiler.
- Once the hot weather is here, check the filters monthly and adjust the humidity control if condensation appears on windows and walls.
“Properly maintaining AC and heating systems will extend the life of the equipment and save building owners money,” says Norberg.
When dealing with large commercial and residential properties, air conditioning maintenance should be done by qualified service professionals. For property managers juggling a number of maintenance activities at once, an outsourced building maintenance team may be the answer. Tru-Serve offers outsourced facilities maintenance services that include air conditioning and boiler maintenance.
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