With average daily maximum temperatures of 30c, Queensland is one of the warmest regions in Australia, while Brisbane is Australia’s second hottest capital city. With this in mind it’s no surprise that air conditioners play a big part in helping families stay comfortable across South East Queensland. Just like your car, an air conditioner is a piece of mechanical equipment and requires ongoing maintenance. Let’s take a look at the benefits of regular air conditioner maintenance and the components of air conditioner maintenance and what you should look out for when sourcing electrical services for your AC.
-Enhanced Cooling Performance
As air moves through an air conditioner, particles of fine dust are collected in the air filter. In houses with a number of people and pets these filters can quickly build up with dust. As dust builds up in these filters the cooling performance of the units can quickly diminish. With regular clearing of your air conditioner’s filters you can be guaranteed enhanced cooling performance through the hot Queensland summer.
AC electrical efficiency has never been more important. As electricity prices increase more than 30% this summer, and with air conditioning using around 25% of a household’s electricity, ensuring your electrical appliances are as efficient as possible is critically important. Air conditioners are incredibly efficient devices, with some models achieving up to a 10 star energy rating, but maintaining that level of efficiency requires ongoing maintenance. Regular cleaning of filters, the unit and its coils, checking refrigerant levels, and replacement of broken parts ensures your air conditioner will continue to operate efficiently and effectively all summer long.
Quick tip: if you are finding your air conditioning is adding too much drag on your electricity bill, simply increase the temperature on your unit a degree or two during summer and you could see a 5 – 10% improvement in your AC electrical efficiency.
An air conditioner is a big investment. The average lifespan of a unit is 10 years in Brisbane. However, the life of the unit can be impacted by how the device is used and maintained. With the right maintenance you can extend the life of the unit while also ensuring the device delivers efficient heating and cooling all year round.
Air conditioners accumulate significant amounts of mold – which is a particular problem in humid Brisbane. A system that isn’t clean can distribute harmful mold particles throughout your home, impacting your overall health and wellbeing. As well, your air conditioner acts as a filter for fine dust particles floating around in your home. A well maintained unit ensures your unit is able to clean your air more effectively.
A unit that isn’t maintained is more likely to fail. Units with blocked filters, coils, drains will work harder than a well serviced unit and overtime fail quicker. This will lead to more costly repairs. Regular maintenance of your air conditioners is essential to keeping your system running efficiently and effectively all year round.
The service of an air conditioner unit involves the removal and cleaning or replacement of filters. For many units this is a relatively simple task and one that homeowners should be doing on a regular basis. For split system air con units, the filters can be removed, vacuumed, and if necessary washed and hung out in the sun relatively easily. Units used in and around kitchens can build up oil from cooking so may require gentle washing with detergent.
The coils are a critical component of the heating and cooling process. Because of their tight formation, they often accumulate dust and mold. Cleaning coils requires care and precision and should be performed by a professional who will use a special solution to remove pollutants from the coils and keep them running efficiently. Split system coil cleaning is performed with a special bag to capture and ultimately dispose of dislodged mold and debris.
Air conditioners generate a significant amount of condensation through the cooling and heating process. If the drains for condensation become blocked, condensation can end up dripping down the front of your split system and into your house. As part of the maintenance process drains will be inspected and cleaned to make sure they allow a free flow of condensation outside your home.
Refrigerant is central to the cooling process. Maintaining correct refrigerant levels ensures your air conditioner unit maintains peak performance and energy efficiency. Units can develop small leaks, with a licensed technician required to diagnose and fix this problem. During the maintenance process refrigerant levels will be tested to ensure the unit is maintaining correct refrigerant levels.
A thorough air conditioner service will inspect the sensitive electrical componentry of the air conditioner to ensure it is free of foreign objects that may cause the system to short. Where worn electrical componentry is identified this can be repaired or replaced. While additional repairs may come at an additional cost – this will extend the life of your unit.
The filters in air conditioners can be cleaned relatively easily by home owners through simple vacuuming and in some cases washing. A more thorough cleaning process that tackles mold, coils, electrical componentry and refrigerant levels will need to be performed by a professional.
A Brisbane household of 4 uses an average of 1,921 kWh of electricity per year. If 25% of this is used in heating and cooling, with electricity priced at 33 cents per kWh, this equates to $158.40 per year in heating and cooling costs. Obviously this changes with how you use your unit and how well the unit is maintained and whether we are talking about a split system or central air conditioner. Maintaining your unit ensures you keep a lid on your energy usage.
It’s also important to note that air conditioners accumulate significant amounts of mold – which is a particular problem in humid Brisbane. A system that isn’t clean can distribute harmful mold particles throughout your home, impacting your overall health and wellbeing.
While maintenance by a professional electrician comes at a cost, between $140 and $220 on average in Brisbane, the potential for increased costs through a unit that isn’t maintained, as well as the potential health impacts makes it a worthwhile investment.
Choosing AC electricians can be confusing. When choosing your AC electrician look for:
Checking testimonials, reviews, and recommendations can give you insights into the electrician’s reputation and the quality of their work. Considering the specific services offered, obtaining quotes from different electricians, and evaluating their communication and professionalism can help you make an informed decision and choose the right professional AC electrician for your air conditioner maintenance requirements.
An AC maintenance service will involve: