How to Make Your A/C Last Longer

According to the United States Department of Energy. “The "lifespan" of a central air conditioner is about 15 to 20 years.” That’s quite a long time! With proper care and the right HVAC contractor to help you out, you’ll no doubt get loads of faithful service out of your cooling system.

That being said, its lifespan is somewhat in your hands, too. As a homeowner, there are plenty of steps you can take to make sure your air conditioner can keep going strong season after season. Furnace Doctors, your Saint Paul Park providers of HVAC maintenance plans and more, discusses them below.

Only Use it for the Hot Days

Common sense—but so many homeowners forget it that just because it’s summer doesn’t mean the A/C needs to be on! Provided your comfort levels are attended to and you’ve got a whole house humidifier to help regulate your home’s humidity levels if you need it, there’s no shame in letting the system have a break now and again.

Before beginning to use your cooling system intermittently, check with a HVAC services provider to make sure it’s a good idea. Every household and every system is different, and with their help you can avoid unintended consequences.

Get Regular Maintenance

Just like changing your car’s oil helps it get better gas mileage and run for longer, servicing your cooling system on a regular basis helps you get the most out of it. While the entire system may last for quite a while, it’s sometimes the case that parts wear out prematurely—and regular service can catch these issues and remediate them before they lead to serious system-wide damage.

During these maintenance appointments, you’ll also build a relationship with your HVAC contractor, who will learn your home’s heating and cooling patterns and therefore provide you with personalized advice on how to best preserve your unit.

Stay on Top of Changing the Filter

Aside from maintenance from a pro, this is the easiest thing you can do to keep not just your air conditioning, but your entire HVAC system running smoothly: change your air filter regularly! While every filter and every family is different, as we cover in our HVAC services blog, you nonetheless need to follow the personalized advice from your HVAC contractor to a T—and stick to it. Clogged filters make your system struggle to pump air through, which in turn leads to premature wear-and-tear.

Furnace Doctors: Healthy HVACs, Healthy Families

Our Saint Paul Park team has all the tools and expertise needed to keep your HVAC going strong. Reach our office today at 651-789-3082.