I have spoken with a number of contractors on this issue and they mostly agree that any air conditioner – new or old – should be on a maintenance plan. Well, part of me feels like that is asking a barber if I need a haircut. Another part of me thinks there is some merit to having your air conditioner maintained year-in and year-out regardless of age.

I keep thinking about how we maintain our cars and trucks. Do you say to yourself, "Well I just bought this car three years ago; I don’t need anybody to look at it." Heck no! In three years we have changed the oil many times, replaced the air filter and windshield wipers, and have had every major component inspected at least once.

So why don’t we take the same care with our expensive air conditioning systems?

I don't have the answer for that, but I firmly believe that it makes sense to have your air conditioning equipment on a maintenance plan for a couple of reasons – your equipment will last longer, you can eliminate major problems before they happen, you can save money, and you can have better peace of mind.

The engineering society for air conditioning, heating and refrigeration states that your air conditioner can degrade anywhere from 2 to 5% per year. When your air conditioner starts to degrade, your system will work harder to produce the same result. This means that your electric bills will be higher than normal. Maintaining your equipment reduces the degradation rate and allows your equipment to run better and closer to its original condition.

With most maintenance plans, you will have your equipment inspected twice a year at a fixed price. Then, if there is any additional work that needs to be completed, you will get a discount on that work.

Maintenance plans should inspect the outdoor unit (the "squeezer"), the inside unit and the duct work. If the technician does not go into the attic or take superheat and sub cooling measurements, then run them out of your home. We won’t dive into superheat and sub cooling, but ask your contractor to take the measurements. If there is a deer in the headlights stare, you might want to find a new contractor.

A good example of a maintenance check can be found with Total Comfort A/C Systems - Spring Cleaning.

Regards,
Brian Starzec
A/C Patriot