About 90 percent of homes in the United States today make use of air conditioners—and this AC use creates 12 percent of the energy used throughout the country, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Residential AC services can help you optimize whatever energy is used in your home. When you follow the tips in this article, your air conditioner and home will be more than ready when you turn it on for the first time this summer.
Inspect the outdoor concrete slab and AC unit
Never forget that everything bit of performance that you get from your air conditioner starts outdoors. The AC unit sits on top of a concrete slab just outside of your home and is hooked up to cables and tubes that use the power generated to cool your home. If the concrete block or slab that your air conditioner is sitting on is falling apart, you can't count on quality air conditioner performance.
If it's uneven, you can grab a slab of wood and place it underneath the concrete block to balance it out. If the concrete is too badly damaged, you should call in a contractor. Small-scale concrete repair work might cost you between $100 and $300.
Check out the compressor and evaporator
Both the air conditioner compressor and evaporator play a huge role in your air conditioning performance. The compressor is the part that manufacturers the heat exchange process by making use of coolant. It circulates refrigerant throughout the air conditioning system in order to create this effect. Get your compressor checked out to be sure it's working correctly.
You'll also need to look after the evaporator, which turns the refrigerant to gas so that it can be used. A broken evaporator also won't allow your home to cool down. The part itself might cost between about $200 and $1,500, while the labor can run in the range of $500 and $1,200.
Have an AC services company run some tests
Finally, bringing an AC service company in for an inspection is necessary. Getting an air conditioner inspection for a regular-sized home can cost you between $200 and $400. They can do big repairs or simple ones like changing your air conditioning filter and monitoring the thermostat. Choose an accredited AC service company that is impeccable with time and the quality of their work.
Use these tips to get the air conditioning you need this summer. If your AC is having problems, contact AC services in your area.
