A yearly tune-up keeps your air conditioner efficient and reliable through a Toronto summer. GTA Home Comfort is a local HVAC business based in Scarborough, maintaining central air conditioners and ductless mini-splits across Scarborough, Toronto, East York, North York, Markham, Pickering and Ajax.
The best time is spring, before the AC runs every day. But a tune-up is worth doing any time it has been more than a year.
What an AC tune-up includes
- Clean the outdoor condenser coil and clear debris from around the unit
- Inspect the indoor evaporator coil
- Clear and test the condensate drain and pump
- Check refrigerant pressures and look for signs of leaks
- Test the capacitor, contactor and electrical connections
- Inspect the fan motors and blades
- Check the filter and the thermostat
- Measure the temperature drop and airflow to confirm the system is cooling as designed
Why annual maintenance matters
A dirty outdoor coil and a clogged filter make an air conditioner work harder, use more hydro and wear out sooner. A tune-up keeps it running efficiently and catches weak parts, like a failing capacitor, before they leave you without cooling on the hottest day of the year.
Many manufacturers also require regular professional maintenance to keep the warranty valid, so keep your service records.
Between visits
Change or clean your furnace filter every one to three months while the AC is in use, keep plants, fences and patio furniture at least two feet from the outdoor unit, and hose off cottonwood fluff and grass clippings gently from the outside of the coil. Never cover the unit while it is running.