Air conditioning is a critical system in the life of a homeowner. Routine maintenance might seem like overkill to those who have yet to experience a hot summer day without the climate control facilities from the thermostat. But assuredly, you will experience this scorching heat that penetrates the walls of your home at some point in your life and come to learn of the importance that an annual checkup holds for homeowners all across the country.

An air conditioning unit is rated for a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, on average. Units are professionally built to exacting standards and the vast majority of homeowners leave the installation to the professionals to handle rather than trying to take on this job all on their own. Cooling technologies used in homes have come a long way in recent years and the units being installed today are likely to provide your home with comfort for years if not decades to come. However, there are unforeseen complications that can arise over this long lifespan that throw a wrench into a homeowner’s best-laid plans.

Weather conditions create all manner of hazards.

The biggest threat to your HVAC system is the weather outside the home. An AC unit resides next to your home’s structure or on top of it — depending on the type of building you live in. This means that higher temperature days mixed in with humidity, or rainy or windy conditions can generate a wildly fluctuating monthly and yearly scope of weather patterns. These are generally unconducive to continued optimal performance in the mechanics of your AC unit. Debris can become trapped in your cooling system and components of the compressor can easily break down, leading to a whole system failure due to a single, easy-to-repair part. This is why routine maintenance is crucial to keeping your air conditioner working properly all year round.

The importance of routine testing.

Homeowners in high-risk areas must be particularly vigilant with their AC unit checkups. Hurricanes that strike the Atlantic coast through the late summer and fall can significantly damage your solar energy cells, furnace, or heat pump. Similarly, along the west coast, earthquakes and forest fires pose the same threats. Each region is unique, and homeowners must contend with a plethora of potentially devastating hazards no matter where they call home. This is why you need to have your cooling system tuned up every spring.

With a routine check-in with your trusted AC repair technician, you can rest assured that your system will continue running smoothly through the hot months to come — barring a natural disaster, of course. A yearly tune-up keeps your system operating at optimal conditions and can go a long way to identifying any issues that may be presenting themselves long before they become dangerous or expensive to repair. As with any mechanical device, a minor break-in one part can cause long term or extensive damage to the moving pieces around it in a hurry if you don’t address the issue promptly.

Get to know your local technician.

Whether you live in a big city or a small town, finding a repair technician that you like and trust is essential for any home repair needs that may present themselves. Getting to know your AC repair technician is a great way to always have the information and help you need when it comes to your AC unit, and by extension, the comfort in your home.

During the summer and winter months, air conditioning repair companies are swamped with urgent requests for servicing in order to reverse the chilling cold or scorching heat that has taken over the interior of the home. With a friendly relationship in this department, you know that your needs will always be taken care of, this is an important thing to check off your list during this time when most of our routines seem to be thrown into chaos.

Regular checks are the best way to all but eliminate these emergency calls and restore peace of mind to your home and family.