What to expect from an AC Tune Up
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Our store is in an old strip center. And like a lot of things, repairing the AC in the store is my responsibility. So, I have a very reputable professional that I can call on. He also will do service work on residential homes. So, I had him come out to my home and do a maintenance check. I thought I would share a few items that he checked on.
On the unit inside the house, he checked all the wiring. He placed AC tabs in my unit to prevent scum build up in the pan. He checked the filter and then gave me the “stink eye” because it was dirty. He checked the thermostat and suggested I go to a WIFI connected one because I could control it even though I was not home. I asked why do I need to do that? Have you ever come home from a vacation and the house is so hot that it takes hours to cool? Or would it be convenient to check on the thermostat to make sure you did not leave it on 72 degrees all day. I think I will be making the choice to do that. However, I will not take a free thermostat from CPS. But the real work was when he moved outdoors.
When he went to my outdoor compressor he cleaned the coils. I have a Trane, and one side comes off and that is where you can get to the coils. When I looked at the coils, I was shocked. You could barely see the coils from all the dust that was on them. To say I was embarrassed was an understatement. Clean coils help the unit work more efficiently. If you let your coils, get too dirty it causes more wear and tear on many parts. It will have to turn on more, run longer just to keep you cool. And the more that your unit must be on the more power that it pulls and the higher your energy bill will be. And AC units are notorious power hogs even when running at peak efficiency. Not only does the dirt affect efficiency it will cause corrosion on the coil. Corrosion can cause tiny holes in the coils which will cause you to have to replace the coils. And then this corrosion can move to the refrigerant lines. So bottom line, keeping up with cleaning the coils is very important. So, when he started to clean the coils, I was really surprised that he just rinsed them with a garden hose. After the coils were clean, then he checked the capacitors. You might have two, one to start the compressor and one to start the fan. He tested mine and they did not even show a charge. How they were starting my AC compressor was baffling to him. And that is why I am writing this article. Maintenance on AC units needs to be left to the pros. Yes, you can clean the coils, but if you are my age, let them do it. Sometimes it is more frustrating to try, and man handle a big metal frame that you need to remove to thoroughly clean the coils. And I am so glad that they caught the worn-out capacitors. The last thing I want is to be in the heat of my house, in the night wondering why my AC unit will not come on.
So, what was the cost? A little over $300. That included the capacitors and all the labor. He took about an hour and a half and now I am good for a year. If you have not had an inspection and tune up recently, call an AC professional that you trust and schedule it.
Now to the email….
Question: I heard your show on WOAI recently and I have a question about paint. My paint quote includes a primer on the walls and then one coat of paint. My painter says that the paint covers well and all we need is one coat of paint. What do you think?
Answer: You need two. One to cover and one is the wear coat. That way when you wipe dirt off the walls, you are not cleaning down to the primer. Plus, you are getting uniform color coverage. Two coats cover up imperfections that might show through with just one coat. Even with the most expensive paint that Ben Moore carries, Aura, they recommend two coats. I like Aura – it goes on so smoothly and if you ever must touch up the walls, you can just spot touch up with Aura and never see the touch up.