As the spring weather gives way to summer, you'll increasingly rely on your air conditioner. In hot weather like this, a malfunction or breakdown can make your life extremely uncomfortable. To make sure you're getting the best performance out of this appliance and minimizing wear and tear, you should regularly take the time to clean out your unit’s air filter and refrigerator coil. Here are a few reasons why frequent cleaning is so important for your air conditioner.

How Your Air Conditioner Works

Air conditioners rely on an enclosed system of tubes containing a certain amount of refrigerant. When the refrigerant is compressed, it gets hotter and sheds heat into the environment. When it expands, it cools, causing it to absorb heat from the air. Compressing the refrigerant outdoors and expanding it inside transfers heat from the interior of the home to the outside, keeping you cool no matter how hot it gets outside your house. However, if objects accumulate on the air conditioner's coils and keep them from absorbing or shedding heat, your system has to work much harder to cool your home the same amount.

What Dust Does to Your HVAC Equipment

A little bit of dust doesn’t make much of a difference, but over time it can build up on your air conditioner's refrigerator coil (the component inside your home which cools the air). When this happens, heat transfer slows down between your home's air and the unit. It takes more cycles of compression and expansion to get the same cooling power. The problem worsens if there is also dust in the air filter; this restricts airflow and prevents the cold from the AC from being distributed properly. This is why it is essential to regularly clean your unit. Having a professional inspect and maintain your air conditioner can guarantee even more effective results. Getting your unit cleaned lets it work at maximum efficiency to provide quicker and more effective cooling. It also lowers your power bill and puts less wear on the unit, since it doesn't have to work as hard.

If your air conditioner is overdue for cleaning, get it done before the summer by calling A. Stevens Plumbing & Heating in Washingtonville, NY. Serving as both a licensed plumber and HVAC contractor in Orange, Rockland, and Westchester counties, they have over 40 years of experience with repairs and installations, and are one of the area's few providers certified to install backflow preventers. Contact them at (845) 496-5903 or find them online.