Should You Still Schedule Routine AC Service Visits If You Perform DIY Maintenance?

There are a few simple maintenance tasks that nearly any homeowner can (and should) perform themselves. For example, replacing your air conditioner's filter at regular intervals will help keep your air clean and protect your system. Since you may need to replace your filter often, it's far more cost-effective to handle this job without calling a professional.

You can also handle other jobs, such as cleaning off your condenser coils. With so much that you can tackle yourself, does it still make sense to call an HVAC professional for an annual service? In nearly every case, the answer is a very definitive "yes."

What's the Difference Between Professional and DIY Maintenance?

Do-it-yourself maintenance tasks help to keep your air conditioning system functioning all year round. Leaving a filter in for too long or allowing your condenser coils to become all gunked up can reduce your system's efficiency and lead to expensive repairs. In other words, these essential tasks are just a normal part of having a central air conditioning system in your home.

On the other hand, an annual maintenance visit includes more in-depth tasks and inspections. For example, your technician will likely examine everything from your electrical connections to the temperature differential between your return and supply ducts. These checks help ensure that your system is operating as it should.

Additionally, some relatively basic maintenance items, such as cleaning your evaporator coils or checking belt-driven blowers, require partially disassembling your indoor equipment. If you aren't comfortable getting your hands dirty or taking apart your system, you may not want to try handling these jobs without help.

How Often Should You Schedule a Service Visit?

While it would be nice if performing maintenance on your AC system allowed you to defer professional service visits, the reality is that you should still schedule annual check-ups. Filter changes, coil cleanings, and similar tasks keep your system running well between professional service calls, but they don't mean that other problems or maintenance issues cannot develop.

Scheduling an annual service will help ensure that your air conditioner continues to function at peak efficiency. However, it also serves another critical role. Since your technician will be inspecting every part of your system, they'll be able to spot any issues while they're still small and, most importantly, relatively cheap to fix.

Deferring professional service visits can allow problems to go unnoticed for months or years, forcing you to make an expensive emergency service call when your system stops working. Although it's crucial to keep up with do-it-yourself maintenance items between visits, you should never ignore the importance of having a professional examine your system at least once per year. 

For more information, contact a local company like Sturdevant Air Conditioning.