If you’re looking for ways to ensure your air conditioner has a long, problem-free life, one of the best things you can do is guarantee it receives its annual tune-up. A yearly tune-up is a regular maintenance that’s performed to ensure your unit can run its best. This tune-up usually consists of an array of tasks that are best performed by an HVAC technician.

If you want to learn more about an annual tune-up and how this can help your air conditioner, contact your local air conditioner repair company. They can walk you through the process and schedule regular appointments for you.

What does the tune-up consist of?

While annual tune-up may vary slightly between air conditioning companies, for the most part, they should stick to this checklist:

# Change air filters

# Lubricate moving parts

# Check blower motors and belts

# Test and inspect the thermostat

# Check fins

# Check electrical connection and wiring

# Clean condensation drain

# Coil cleaning

# Check overall controls

# Check refrigerant levels

This is just a general list. To find out exactly what your HVAC technician will do during the tune-up, you can call your air conditioning company and ask for a list of tasks they’ll perform.

What usually affects the costs?

Annual tune-up generally isn’t too expensive. And considering they can extend the lifespan of your unit and catch problems, they’re much cheaper than most repairs. However, overall the cost of the tune-up heavily depends on the season, company, your unit's age, and the maintenance's regularity.

In many cases, you can receive discounts for having tune-ups automatically scheduled. But this highly depends on the air conditioning company you’re using. If you feel the tune-ups are too expensive, you may be able to work with the company to find a plan that suits your budget.

How long does it take?

These tune-ups usually don’t last very long. They typically take an hour to perform the general tasks. But if your unit hasn’t received annual tune-ups as regularly as it’s needed, these could take longer. Plus, if your refrigerant needs to be filled, this could require an additional 30 to 45 minutes.

How often should I have a tune-up done?

You should typically have maintenance done once a year. In some cases, if your air conditioner constantly runs during the year, if you live in a hotter climate, you can have this performed twice a year for better functionality. But overall, you’ll want the annual maintenance done before the hot months when your unit needs to run the most.