After facing a very disruption and expensive air conditioner repair, I became aware of the importance of seasonal tune-ups.
While I was always good about regularly replacing air filters, I thought that annual upkeep was a waste of time and money.
My air conditioner eventually quit over the Fourth of July weekend, when the outdoor temperature was in the low nineties and the humidity was brutal. My choice was either to subject my family to an overheated and sticky house for at least several days or pay the extra cost of emergency service. When the technician took the air conditioner apart, he discovered a disgusting buildup of debris within the inner workings. There was mold thriving on the cooling coil, algae growing in the condensate drain and a thick coating of dust on everything. The technician asked me if I’d noticed a steady increase in my electric bills. He said that the air conditioner was definitely forced to run longer, work harder and use more energy to achieve the thermostat setting. Plus, it was likely that every time the cooling system operated, it was spreading harmful toxins into our breathing air. I suddenly realized that my frequent headaches, my husband’s constant congestion and my kids complaining of sore throats was due to a dirty air conditioner. After a thorough cleaning and adjustment by the technician, the cooling system once again operated like new. The house felt more comfortable, smelled better and stayed cleaner. There was a noticeable difference in the cost of my utility bills. Because of that experience, I enrolled in a professional maintenance plan that includes service for the AC system in the spring and for the furnace in the fall. I get perks such as priority scheduling, no extra charge for emergency repairs and a fifteen percent discount on parts and labor.