AC Tune-Up

"Tune-up" is the term Any Hour Services uses to describe the manufacturer's recommended maintenance and inspection items. The idea of maintaining a large piece of equipment is nothing new. Regular maintenance helps things last longer and work better. Your air conditioner is no different. One of the best ways to get the most out of your air conditioner is to take care of it. That includes the things you can do and the regular dealer maintenance recommended by manufacturers.

We developed our air conditioner tune-up from the recommendations made in the owner's manual for your air conditioner. It includes checking refrigerant levels, capacitors, compressors, fans, motors, coils and much more. Our HVAC Techs document everything and take the time to explain to you the condition of your system. A tune-up is a great way to make sure your air conditioner will make it through the summer and identify any potential problems before they cause your system to stop working in the middle of the summer.

Manufactures don't specify whether you should have your air conditioner services at the beginning, middle or end of the season. The case could be made for either and it ends up being a personal preference.

The biggest reason people don't service their air conditioners is that they forget. So if you have not had yours serviced yet this year, now is the best time to make the call and schedule an air conditioner tune-up, because your thinking about it and there is a good chance you'll forget.

The overly simplistic answer is, if you have an air conditioner and you plan on using it, you need an air conditioner tune-up. All kidding aside, manufacturers recommend you have this done every year and neglecting the maintenance increases the chance that your air conditioner goes out during the hottest parts of the summer and then you're stuck waiting for when a company can come out and look at your system.

If your air conditioner has been acting up, if it's over 10 years old, if it's been more than 2 years since your last tune-up, if you had to have your system repaired last year, or if you just want to know the overall health and conditioning of your air conditioner are all great reasons to consider having your air conditioner tuned up.

If you think of your air conditioner like your car, a tune-up is kind of like an oil change. If your car is working fine and it's time for an oil change, you are probably going to get it changed. Instead of every three to five thousand miles for your car, it's once a year for your air conditioner.

An air conditioner tune-up is the most cost-efficient way to make sure your air conditioner continues working to cool your home.

If your air conditioner was installed during the summer, no. It should have been installed ready to run for the season. The dealer maintenance will start the next year but don't forget the maintenance you're responsible to perform yourself.

If it has already run for a summer season, yes, you should get an air conditioner tune-up. When we buy a new car, the reason we are so good about cleaning and servicing it is that we want to make sure it performs like a new car for as long as possible. You probably just invested thousands of dollars into your air conditioning system and annual tune-ups are a great way to get as many years of reliable comfort for your home.

It depends on why it is acting up. There are lots of parts and pieces that work together to make sure your air conditioner cools your home and if one of them stops working your air conditioner can stop working.

Sometimes the cleaning and adjustments made during our air conditioner tune-up can correct minor issues. It should identify if there is anything more serious that needs to be addressed that could be causing your air conditioner not to cool the home the way you expect it to.

Be sure to tell the company you call all of your concerns and frustrations so that they send the right technicians to your home. As long as your system has not stopped working completely, a tune-up is a great first step.

That depends on the age of the system and how often the annual maintenance is performed. Dirt is one of the biggest killers of air conditioners. It is common to find dirty coils outside and inside of the home, dirty filters, and dirty blower fans. The more dirt builds up on the different components of the system the more it reduces air flow and puts wear and stress on the other parts.

That extra strain on the components can cause them to fail prematurely. Things like capacitors, motors, and other electrical components. When these electrical components are working harder than they need to, you are driving up your power bill and spending more money than you need to cool your home.

Your air conditioner owner's manual only says a properly trained technician, not that you have to pay a company to do this every year. If you have a family member, neighbor, or know someone at church that would be willing to help you out, you may be able to get your air conditioner services for as little as a plate of cookies. The key is that they have the right tools, gauges, and knowledge of what to check on your air conditioner

If you don't know anyone, find an HVAC company you trust to perform the service for you. If you hire a company to perform the service, you can expect to be charged for the service. Prices vary anywhere from $90 to $180, each company is different. Any Hour Services charges $99 to perform our air conditioner tune-up but below is a coupon for $70 off.

No, your air conditioner should kick on automatically when your thermostat is set to auto or cool and calls for cold air. Unless you were having issues last year, it should turn on and work like normal.

It is recommended to have your system serviced once a year but manufacturers don't specify when you should have this service performed and they do not say it needs to be done before turning your air conditioner on in the spring.

NOTE: If you cover your air conditioner for the winter, be sure to uncover it before you turn your AC on in the spring.