Central Systems: Care and Cleaning

• Regular maintenance is the key to avoiding serious problems!
• During high temperatures of above 30'C air conditioning units are not operating within design temperatures because most are sized on 26'C.
• Do not set your thermostat to 10'C thinking that it will get colder faster, this is not true, it could lead to the evaporator coil freezing up or the compressor could fail due to water slugging.
• Air conditioning units should not be set to below 17'C.
  
  
  Electrical Problems
• 80% of all air conditioning service calls are the result of electrical problems
• check the fuse or breaker first
  
  
  Irregular Power Supply
• this is a common seasonal problem that you have no control over
• large demands prevent the local utility from providing adequate power supply at times
• this may cause the air conditioning unit motor or relay failure
• when the power comes back on, the unit should reset automatically
  
  
  Cleaning the Filter in the Furnace and change it when necessary.
  
  Check the pressure / safety controls
• if the unit is dirty, the extensive high pressure may have caused the unit to trip off
• some units re-set automatically, others are operated manually
• look at the condenser it is imperative that it is clean (dirt and high temperatures combine to lower the unit's efficiency and will not operate to full capacity)
• the condenser, internal and external coils, must be washed out at least once a year
  
  
  Check for water leaks
• ensure that drain pans and drains are free flowing
• clear drain channels by passing a stiff wire through them (clogged drain channels prevent the unit from reducing humidity and the resulting excess moisture may cause interior damage)
  
  
  Ensure belts are tight
• if a belt is worn, replace it
• belts should be changed annually
  
  
  Inefficient cooling
• check to see if the ducts are properly insulated, especially those that pass through the attic or any other unconditioned areas
• check to see if the attic is properly ventilated this is a common unrecognized problem
• ridge and soffit vents must be clear to allow natural air flow
  
  
  In the case of inefficient cooling and / or unit failure contact our service department.