With cooling season arriving in the Kansas City area, now is a good time to schedule your annual A/C maintenance with a qualified HVAC technician. Much like your car, your air conditioner needs a periodic tune-up to keep it operating reliably and efficiently. Yearly maintenance will benefit you in five key ways:

• Lower your cooling costs. A tune-up helps reduce the amount of electricity required to operate your system. A poorly maintained system may use as much as 25 percent more energy than one that has been tuned up regularly.
• Improve your system’s efficiency. Dust buildup, loose belts and electrical connections, improper refrigerant levels and an inaccurate thermostat are common when operating your air conditioner over the course of a hot Kansas City summer. An A/C tune-up includes checking these essential components.
• Extend the life of your system. A well-maintained air conditioner will last at least five years longer than a neglected system.
• Ensure dependability. Air conditioners often break down during the hottest time of the year when they’re working harder to keep your home cool. A tune-up will help prevent the inconvenience and repair costs of a midsummer breakdown.
• Protect your family. The safe operation of any large appliance depends upon proper maintenance. Your annual tune-up will help ensure your system operates safely all summer.

Air conditioning maintenance shouldn’t end when your technician leaves. Here are three essential tasks you should perform throughout the summer:

• Check your air filter monthly and replace it when it’s dirty. A clean filter will ensure optimum airflow and prevent dust buildup, as well as improve your indoor air quality.
• Hose down your outdoor condensing unit monthly to remove dirt and debris that may become trapped in the fins. Remove plant growth and debris from around your outdoor unit to maintain proper airflow.
• Maintain the area around your indoor unit to prevent dust from entering the system.

For more expert advice about A/C maintenance, or to schedule your spring tune-up, please contact us at Overland Park Heating & Cooling, Inc. We serve the Kansas City area with a high level of customer satisfaction.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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