As residents of Phoenix, Arizona we all know that because of our extreme weather our outdoor items require a little extra attention. Most Valley residents are good at performing regular maintenance on our cars to avoid paying a lot for a major repair. However, many of us don't apply these same principles to our A/C units and heat pumps. If you don't service your air conditioner or heat pump regularly, you'll find yourself paying higher energy bills and higher repair bills.

In this article the term air conditioner will apply to a heat pump or a standard air conditioner. Both benefit equally from annual service tune-ups.

Air conditioners are made to last a long time and withstand harsh elements. These marvels of engineering have it possible for cities like Phoenix, AZ to support large populations. Many Valley residents have had the unpleasant experience of having an a/c unit break during the heat of the summer. Many times residents are forced to stay in a hotel until the problem is fixed. The worst part is that in most cases the air conditioner repair is unusually costly.

Without regular maintenance an air conditioner looses some level of efficiency for each year of operation. This means that new 13 SEER a/c unit that you bought just a few years ago may be functioning like a 9 SEER air conditioning unit today! The good news is that you can recover most of that lost efficiency through regular a/c maintenance. Studies show that with regular tune-ups an air conditioning unit will maintain up to 95% of it's original efficiency. This means that the cost of an annual tune-up is recovered very quickly in savings on your monthly electric bill and reduced repair costs.

At Deer Valley Mechanical we offer Yearly Service Packages that insure that you will be reminded of the need to service the unit at the beginning of the cooling and heating seasons.

The yearly ac service check include cleaning the condensing unit coils, checking the amp draw of the compressor, oiling the fan motors, checking that belts are well adjusted, and checking the system operating pressures and temperatures against the manufacturers specifications. One of the most important items to check is the coolant level (commonly know as Freon) in the air conditioner. A system that is only 10% low on coolant will cost about 20% more to operate!

In addition to yearly a/c tune-ups you can also buy good a/c filters and change them regularly. Next, keep bushes and other materials away from the outside unit of your air conditioner. Another good idea is to avoid closing supply air outlets in your house. Lastly, making sure your air conditioning ducts are clean and operating at the highest level.

So take a moment today and Call Deer Valley Mechanical to schedule your consultation and yearly a/c service package. Complicated equipment like today's air conditioners benefit in many ways from annual service. They recover much of their lost efficiency, they are less likely to suffer a major break down, they have a longer life span, they increase your comfort, and they operate for less money.