The month of March certainly came in like a lion on Long Island this year. While we have had two snow storms already in this month that is supposed to mark the beginning of spring, before you know it the warm weather will actually be upon us.  Once the temperatures start to rise, homeowners should make sure that their central air conditioning system is working at an optimum level.

You should schedule a routine maintenance service for your central air conditioning system before the warm weather begins to ensure that it will work properly and effectively for the entire summer season.  You don’t want to be stuck bearing the heat on one of the hottest days of the year because you never scheduled a maintenance appointment.

The  United States Department of Energy  recommends an annual maintenance service on all central air conditioning systems and adds, “An air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.”

A qualified HVAC professional can inspect your entire system to make sure that it is running properly and perform any maintenance tasks or necessary repairs. According to the Department of Energy, a proper maintenance service should include:

• Checking for the correct amount of refrigerant
• Testing for refrigerant leaks
• Capturing any refrigerant that must be evacuated from the system, instead of illegally releasing it to the atmosphere
• Checking for and sealing duct leakage in central systems
• Measuring airflow through the evaporator coil
• Inspecting electric terminals, cleaning and tightening connections
• Oiling motors and checking belts for tightness and wear
• Checking the accuracy of the thermostat

It is important to also understand how a central air conditioning system works. According to Thefamilyhandyman.com “A central air condition service systems consist of two major components: a condensing unit that sits outside your house, and the evaporator coil (often referred to as an A-coil) that sits in the plenum of your furnace or air handler. The refrigerant in the A-coil picks up the heat from your home and moves it to the outdoor condensing unit. The condensing unit fan blows outside air through the condensing coil to remove the heat.”  If any of the parts of your central air conditioning system are not working properly, the system will not effectively cool the air in your home on a hot day.

To ensure that your air conditioning system is working properly and you are fully prepared for the warm spring and summer months, contact the HVAC professionals at Excellent Air Conditioning & Heating Services.  We are experts at air conditioning maintenance, repairs and installation services. We also offer many other services for both commercial and residential customers. If you need air conditioning maintenance in your home or business on Long Island and in the New York metro area, call Excellent Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. at 631-427-0677.