How To Tune Up Your Central Air Conditioner Like a Pro.

Reason #2: Your warranty requires it.

If your air conditioner has outlasted its original warranty, skip down to Reason #3. The best energy-efficient HVAC equipment, including air conditioners, have a manufacturer’s warranty to protect consumers from any defects in the equipment. Along with those guarantees come a variety of clauses that explain how the warranty can be voided.

Common conditions in many factory warranties require scheduled inspections and repairs by a manufacturer-certified HVAC technician, who only uses replacement parts made by the original manufacturer.

Reason #3: A license is required to handle refrigerant.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act requires “technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release ozone depleting refrigerants” to pass an exam to obtain a Section 608 Technician Certification.

Compounds in refrigerant, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and halons destroy ozone in the stratosphere, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

However, refrigerant is a critical part of your air conditioner and is harmless as long it stays inside the equipment. Too much or too little refrigerant forces an air conditioner to run less efficiently and can shorten the life of the equipment, according to ENERGY STAR.

The only way an air conditioning unit can lose refrigerant is through leaks, which already poses a threat. Limited to moderate exposure to refrigerants can cause:

• Irritation of the eyes, ears, and throat
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Frostbite (in liquid form)
• Cough
• Chemical burn to the skin
• Dizziness

Reason #4: Experience makes all the difference.

There are a lot of YouTube videos showing how to check amp draws, how to clear a clogged condensate drain line, how to clean the condenser coils with a garden hose and spray nozzle, and many other such DIY projects.

But, there’s more than one way to do all these tasks, and experienced HVAC technicians get the training and the latest HVAC industry techniques for solving problems they see every day. An HVAC pro knows if pouring water and vinegar down the condensate drain line is the best way to keep it clear, what numbers on the nameplate to check the amp meter against, and the correct way to remove the fan so dirt doesn’t get sprayed into the motor.

Plus—an experienced HVAC tech knows how to stay safe. If you didn’t think about turning off the condenser at the circuit box before spraying it with water, call a nearby HVAC contractor.