If you want your air conditioner to work when you really need it then you need to make sure it is properly maintained. In fact, there are 6 potential hazards that can occur from lack of AC maintenance:
-
Electrical Shocks
When your air conditioning is first fitted you should have used a professional air conditioning installation company. This means the product is safely fitted and will be covered by a warranty.
However, as time passes the likelihood of cables becoming exposed increases, this can be part of normal deterioration.
Any exposed cables can potentially make the casing of your air conditioner live; giving you a nasty shock.
-
Air Quality
Your air conditioner will have filters that trap dust and other potentially harmful substances. If you don’t clean out and replace the filters regularly then they will be unable to prevent the dirty air from getting through.
The result is bad quality air which smells, reduces the air flow, and potentially allows you to breathe in allergens that can make you seriously ill.
-
Mold
You probably already know that mold is not food for your health. Unfortunately, mold can appear whenever there is damp in the home.
If you skip the regular maintenance then there is an increased chance of leaks in your system, these leaks will increase the chances of mold appearing. If you see mold get your air conditioner checked straight away.
-
Ventilation Fires
Without regular maintenance, your air ducts are likely to get blocked by dust and other debris. This can result in an increased risk of fire. The debris is combustible and the air conditioner will overheat as it can’t work efficiently.
In addition, the debris can actually be sucked inside the motor, at best it will cause it to overheat and shut down, giving you a large repair bill. At worse, it will simply catch fire.
-
No Cold Air
Perhaps the most obvious of risks is simply that the unit will stop working. There are many reasons why this could happen, from loss of cooling gas to an electrical fault, or even the debris mentioned above. Unfortunately, this can cause part of the air conditioner to stop working. This will usually happen when you need the unit the most, and the professionals will have a backlog of customers; ensuring they can’t help you as quickly as you’ll want them to.
-
Electrical Bill Increase
A poorly maintained air conditioner will potentially make funny sounds but still continue to work properly. In fact, any fault which is not spotted or doesn’t appear to affect its ability to produce cold air is placing an extra strain on the machine.
Because it will need to work harder to produce the cold air, the unit is more likely to break down completely. But, in the short term, it will use more power to keep doing the right job, your electric bills will increase without you knowing why.
