Ignoring air conditioner maintenance leads to repair

Although I was always conscientious about replacing the air filter in my home’s cooling system, I neglected annual upkeep.

  • I was unwilling to spend the money on professional maintenance.

Since the air conditioner only runs for three to four months per year, I didn’t see the need to hire a technician to tune it every spring. It seemed ridiculous to spend money on a perfectly working air conditioner. So instead of taking proactive measures to prevent problems, I waited until the air conditioner malfunctioned to call for service. I learned that repairs cost a lot more than preventative maintenance and are super inconvenient. My family was left without air conditioning for four days when the outside temperature was in the nineties with high humidity. Plus, I needed to take a day off from work to meet the HVAC repairman. When he took the air conditioner apart, the technician showed me the accumulation of debris within the inner workings. There was a disgusting buildup of dust and even a significant amount of mold and mildew growth. The technician told me that the excess of contaminants had caused the air conditioner to quit. He said that not only did this accumulation restrict airflow and increase wear and tear on components, but every time the cooling system started up, it was probably spreading harmful toxins into my family’s breathing air. Since the air conditioner was struggling to keep up with demand, it was running for longer cycles and using up more energy. I was paying more every month for less comfort and polluted indoor air quality. I’ve now enrolled in a maintenance contractor and take much better care of the air conditioner.

Air duct cleaning