4 ways to save money on air conditioning servicing and repairs
Expert tips to help your household budget
Living in Queensland, it’s almost a necessity to have an air conditioner in order to survive the hot sub-tropical summer days and nights. But air conditioners are one of the most expensive household appliances to run. Not only can they send your power bill up, but they require regular servicing and occasional repairs to keep them in top working order.
All of this can add up to a lot of money. But you don’t need to lose your cool trying to keep up with all the bills. We’ve put together our top tips to help you save money on air conditioning servicing and repairs.
1) Keep your air con filter clean
An often overlooked but important part of air conditioner maintenance is regular cleaning of the filter. Just like a dryer, air conditioners have a filter for trapping debris in the air. The filter is designed to be easily removed and should be cleaned regularly to ensure your air conditioner performs at its best.
Given that this is a simple job most people can do themselves, this is a great way to save money on your air conditioner maintenance over time. A clean air conditioner will perform more efficiently and will be far less likely to need more expensive repairs.
2) Ensure your outdoor unit is free of debris
Another easy way for you to keep the cost of maintaining your air conditioner down is to keep the outdoor unit clear of debris. Whether it’s leaves and branches in your garden, grass clippings or dog hair, these airborne particles can play havoc with your external air conditioning unit. So next time you’re outside in the garden or on your balcony, just check to make sure it’s free of debris, and give it a brush over occasionally.
3) Regular maintenance
Our top tip for reducing the cost of running your air conditioner is to ensure you keep up a regular maintenance schedule. Just like your car, it’s important to have your air conditioner serviced once a year by a professional to keep it in great working order. Not only will this help it to run more efficiently, reducing electricity use and ensuring the air is clean and fresh, it will also reduce the need for more expensive repairs down the track.
But beware the cheap service! A cheap service probably means a simple filter clean only. The truth is, as we outlined above, you can do that yourself. During a professional service, your entire system is cleaned, not just the filter, to ensure it’s free of any debris or dust that will reduce efficiency. The service should also include a detailed look at the unit, ensuring it’s running efficiently and checking for any other issues that may result in damage to the unit, and more expensive repairs in the future.
The best bit? Having your air conditioner serviced annually will actually save money in the long term while keeping your home cooler.
4) If you notice something not right, get a professional to check it immediately
If you’ve followed tips 1-3 you should enjoy many years of cool air with your well-maintained air conditioner. However, if you do notice something that’s not right, whether it’s a new sound, or the air isn’t feeling as cool, get a professional air conditioner repair expert to look at it right away. Leaving it too long can result in more damage to the unit, driving up the cost of repairs and leaving you without a working air conditioner on a sweltering summer’s day.
Just as cars, dryers and other household appliances require servicing, so do air conditioners. But keeping the filter clean, keeping the outdoor unit free of debris and getting any mechanical issues looked at right away will all help reduce the on-going cost of running your air conditioner.
That said, there is no substitute for regular servicing, and a regular service done properly can be done less frequently. And that means more money in your back pocket. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to clean your filter!
If you would like a professional to service your air conditioner, contact the friendly team at Jaric Air Conditioning on 1300 452 742. Winter is a perfect time to get your unit serviced and ensure it’s ready for the warmer weather.
