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As a Sacramento Realtor, I know to have my heating and A/C serviced each year for proper maintenance. But, I assumed the company I paid each year did their job.
Hopefully, this article will help other homeowners to know just what should be done when a company you hire comes out to service and maintain your A/C unit.
For years I have called a X-company which serviced heat and air conditioning units to maintain my system. Thinking they knew their job and I was being a responsible homeowner, I paid for this service that was provided twice a year, once for the heat and once for the A/C.
Low and behold, my A/C was not cooling so I called the home warranty company since the past few years X-company had told me I was on borrowed time with an A/C unit that is only 10 years old.
The service company the home warranty folks from Fidelity National Home Warranty sent out noted I needed a new thermostat. While speaking with the service person and talking about how I have my A/C serviced each year and that it is on its last leg, the service person set me straight.
My A/C unit should last a good long time and no one has bothered to actually service the system correctly for years…how about yours? Do you know what a Heating and Air Conditioning company is suppose to do when they service and maintain your system? I didn’t!
What a flipping surprise! So, the $189 I paid to X- company was money down the drain since I have 10 years of debris on the back of the A/C condenser that was never vacuumed nor proper maintenance performed.
Today, I called X-company and asked what was included in their maintenance of an A/C unit for the yearly charge of $189. The company speaks in generalities and when you pin point them they say they have a 41 point check but when asked what ii includes in that 41 check they simply say it’s on the back of the invoice.
I tell you this so that you too, as a homeowner can become enlightened. If you are a Sacramento home buyer who purchased a Short Sale home for sale, or a bank owned home for sale or what many buyers refer to as foreclosed home, rest assured that the homeowner more than likely did not have the money to maintain their home properly so you need to. Start today, before the heat of the summer reaches the one hundred degrees. But know what SHOULD be done.
These are things that SHOULD be done for service and maintenance of your A/C. A typical maintenance check-up should include the following per the Energy Star Maintenance Checklist.
- Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
- Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
- Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
- Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off proper
- Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
- Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
- Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.
As a homeowner you should Clean/Change air filters once per month. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment as well as adding problems for those suffering from allergies.
Other Real Estate Tips from the Realtor:
Kitchen Tip That Can Save You Money
Kitchen Tip Everyone Needs to Read
Money Saving Tip For Homeowners
Don’t Wait Till It Costs You MORE!
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