Your home’s air conditioning system is a valuable capital investment and an investment in your family’s comfort. Maintain your home air conditioning investment and save money in the long run through routine air conditioning maintenance. Paul from Dynamic Heating and Cooling in Melbourne (dynamicservices.com.au) outlines what benefits you can expect from your preventative maintenance effort and 4 tips for maintaining your air conditioning system.

You can expect at least three benefits of routine heating and air conditioning system maintenance:

Lower energy bills
Reduced likelihood of breakdowns
Increased life of your air conditioning system
So what preventative steps or DIY air conditioning maintenance activities can you do to help maintain your heating and cooling unit?

1. Replace it – if your air conditioning unit requires replaceable filters, buy 12 filters each January so you have a stock on hand to change it out monthly. If you run out of replaceable air conditioning filters at the very least clean/vacuum the one you’ve got and get 12 new filters in stock as soon as possible. If your air conditioning unit has a reusable filter, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations exactly and timely. Replace it when necessary.

2. Clean it – if you fail to change or clean your air conditioner’s filter you are putting too much strain on your unit. Plus, you are recycling the dust and dirt that is on that old or unclean air conditioning filter and contaminating the air you and your family breathes. Another potential problem, especially in damp climates, is the risk of mould growth on dirty old air conditioning filters. This can lead to a whole host of unpleasant problems. Don’t create a problem where the preventative measure is so easy and cheap. Keep your filter clean.

3. Inside and out – now that you have a clean filter, check the outside unit of your air conditioner to clear away any leaves, dirt or debris that may surround it impeding air flow. Air must be able to circulate freely around the outside air conditioning unit.

4.Service it – Finally, engage a reputable air conditioning and heating specialist to maintain the integrity of your home’s air conditioning with twice yearly visits: once at the beginning of the winter, and then again before the summer cooling season. Your technician will check your unit for optimum function and will clean, tune and lubricate any parts to return them to peak performance.

Following these tips and maintaining your home’s air conditioning and heating system will help you realise lower energy bills, avoid costly breakdowns, and enjoy years of trouble-free comfort.