ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Maintenance’

March The Unpredictable: Handling Its Temperature Swings

Monday, March 13th, 2017

sun-and-snowflake-badgeThere are many proverbs about the strange weather that occurs in March. You may have heard that March “comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb.” Or perhaps you’ve heard it “comes in like a lamb and leaves like a lion.” That’s the nature of the weather during this month that straddles winter and spring: it’s difficult to predict exactly which way the temperature will go—especially in a place like Chicago. (And no, groundhogs are not an effective way of predicting weather patterns in late winter.)

The important lesson to learn about March weather uncertainty is to make sure that your home comfort system is ready for any extreme. A cold snap, an early arrival of spring heat, or both—see that your heating and cooling system are prepped!

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Tips for Keeping Your AC Healthy Through the End of Summer

Monday, August 22nd, 2016

Air conditioning systems perform the most work during the tail end of summer. Temperatures are still high during August, often hotter than they were in July, and the air conditioner already has a large amount of stress accumulated from steady work since May. As the end of summer approaches, we recommend that you takes steps to help your home’s air conditioner continue to work at its best and avoid malfunctions—even breakdowns.

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Different HVAC Air Filters and How Often to Change or Clean Them

Monday, June 13th, 2016

Now that it’s almost the official start of the summer and temperatures are on the rise, make certain that you’ve already had your spring air conditioning maintenance visit. (You can find out about our maintenance program here.) If you already had your professional maintenance done, then you’ll have a clean filter in the HVAC system that’s ready to see that the air conditioner is able to draw enough air through the return vents to work properly.

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Filter Changes and Other AC Maintenance Jobs for the Summer

Monday, May 9th, 2016

We can’t overemphasize the importance of scheduling regular spring maintenance to inspect and tune-up your air conditioning system. This is the best tactic to “armor” your AC for the heat of the summer, making it less likely to run into repair issues or to start to waste energy as it operates. If you keep up with maintenance year after year, you’ll be rewarded with an extended life for your cooling system—and that’s one of the best ways to save money.

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What to Expect During Spring HVAC Maintenance

Monday, April 4th, 2016

When spring arrives and the temperatures begin to warm up (although the threat of sudden cold weather still hangs around), it’s time to call your local HVAC contractor to arrange for a maintenance visit for your air conditioning system. If you’re already a part of our maintenance program, then we’ll call you with the reminder that your AC is due for its “check-up.” Make sure you schedule the service, since it’s the best way to see that your air conditioner makes it through the season without major mishaps and maintaining its energy efficiency.

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Now Is the Time to Have Your Air Conditioning System Professionally Maintained

Monday, March 28th, 2016

The early spring weather is still on the cool side here in Chicagoland, and most likely you haven’t had to run your air conditioning system much yet. But the weather will soon start to warm up, and the cooling system in your home will settle in for many months of steady work. Make sure that the AC is ready for the stresses of the middle of the year with professional maintenance. This is the best way to prevent breakdowns, unnecessary repairs, and loss of energy efficiency—and it will also help the equipment enjoy the longest life possible.

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How Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leaks Start

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

Among the many different problems that can occur in an air conditioning system, one of the most common (and serious) is a leak along the refrigerant lines that allows the liquid/gaseous refrigerant to escape. Refrigerant, sometimes known as “Freon,” is essential for an AC to work, and if the level should ever drop, the system will not only start to work poorly, it could suffer from a catastrophic breakdown. When refrigerant leaks happen, you need to call on professionals who will 1) locate the leaks, 2) seal them, and 3) recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.

What did I do wrong that caused these leaks?

Don’t worry: you almost certainly aren’t at fault for refrigerant leaks. The unfortunate part of this problem is that it is difficult to prevent and almost impossible, even for professionals, to notice before it starts. You must simply be vigilant about your AC’s performance and call on repair technicians immediately. Regular maintenance will also catch any leaks when they are still small.

Now, as to what causes the leaks in the first place: formaldehyde. You are probably unaware of it, but this chemical is a common pollutant in residential air, and even with excellent air purifiers it is hard to remove it entirely. Formaldehyde causes something known as formicary corrosion along copper lines, such as those in an AC, as it leaves formic acid along the surface. Although copper is resistant to most forms of corrosion, formicary corrosion is an exception. It’s almost impossible to notice along copper surfaces until it weakens the metal to the point the leaks occur.

Any AC over four years old is susceptible to this kind of corrosion, and high-efficiency air conditioners are more likely to suffer from it  because they have narrower refrigerant coils to help with heat exchange. Make sure that you have quality air conditioning technicians to help you in Winnetka, IL in case your air conditioner encounters refrigerant leaks.

Malek Heating & Cooling offers 24-hour emergency air conditioning repairs in the Chicagoland area.

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Your Air Conditioner Won’t Last Forever: 3 Signs You Should Replace It

Monday, July 20th, 2015

It would be wonderful if a home’s air conditioning system never needed to retire. In fact, many people treat their AC as if it will continue to perform its important function until the end of time (or until they move out of their home). But like any mechanical system that does an enormous amount of work, an air conditioner will eventual age to the point where it is too worn to effectively do its job and it must be replaced. Below are three major indications to watch for that will tell you it’s time to call HVAC professionals and arrange to have a new air conditioning system installed.

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How to Clean an Air Conditioner’s Filter

Monday, July 6th, 2015

When it comes to maintaining an air conditioning system for a home, most of the work should stay in the hands of HVAC professionals. Once a year, usually in spring, arrange to have a technician come to your home and inspect the components of your AC and provide cleaning and adjustments. This will help your air conditioner work through the summer at maximum energy efficiency and minimum repair troubles.

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How to Get Your Aging Air Conditioner to Work Better

Monday, June 29th, 2015

A quality air conditioning system can often last for around 15 years, maybe more, while still providing the right level of cooling for a home and without wasting energy. If you have a system that is over 10 years old and you’ve noticed that it isn’t working as well as it should (problems with cooling, increased energy bills), there are some steps you can take to make it work better. Below are a few of them.

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