Three essential A/C system preventive maintenance procedures

To help ensure an efficient, long-lasting A/C system, Mark Meegan, Bergstrom’s chief strategy officer, vice president of marketing and utility executive, says the following procedures should be part of a preventive maintenance routine:

• Regularly wash out the condenser coils with water. Frequency is based on the operating environment. For instance, when fine-grained particles such as dust or sand are abundant, washing should be more frequent.
• Clean filters and components on a recurring schedule. Ensure there is no moisture in the system as it causes damage to the compressor as well as poor operation of the expansion valve.
• Operate the A/C system during times when the machine is not used for extended periods. Prolonged lack of compressor operation is the biggest cause of compressor seal failure.

Meegan offers one more piece of advice: “Do not open a system unless you are confident there is an issue with a specific component or can verify that the refrigerant is low. Once a system is serviced by replacing a component, the likelihood of a repeat service call is often increased due to incorrect servicing.”

“If the system is serviced and opened, always replace the receiver drier,” he adds.