As a homeowner with an air conditioner, you must get used to giving your AC unit a tune-up regularly. It is preferable to do this twice a year, but if you can’t, you must not miss the annual tune-up during spring. Many people refuse to tune up their AC units, thinking they could save money. The irony is that they lose more money that way.
A regular AC tune-up will save you money in the short and long term. It will also enable you to enjoy using your air conditioner better. Fortunately, tuning up an AC does not require a large budget. Depending on a few factors, you may have to spend only a few dollars for the whole servicing. Let’s take a closer look.
How Much Does an AC Tune-up Cost in Big Bear?
As we stated earlier, the cost of AC tune-up depends on a few factors. We will explain most of them in this section and state the role each plays in determining how much your AC tune-up costs.
Location
The average cost of AC tune-up in the United States is fairly similar across most states. However, some regions are more expensive to live in, and residents pay higher for common services like AC tune-up. If you are in Big Bear, you can reach out to Bear Valley Plumbing & Heating for a quotation.
Time of the Year
The period you request a tune-up may also affect how much you have to pay. For example, many people tune up their AC after winter before the hot seasons commence. This influx of tune-up orders holds up technicians who may charge more for their services during this period. To protect yourself from having to pay more for this service, consider scheduling your AC tune-up slightly before others.
The Frequency of the Tune-up
An air conditioning unit that receives regular servicing will not need much care during a routine tune-up. This simple reality is why homeowners are advised to tune up their air conditioners regularly. If you have serviced your air conditioner within the past year, there is a high possibility that you will not have to spend much for a tune-up.
However, if servicing your air conditioner is not a habit for you, you may have to spend quite a bit as various parts of the system are discovered to have developed faults.
Parts Requiring Repair/Replacement
During a tune-up, you will usually discover a few things that require fixing. It may be common things like changing the air filter and cleaning the dust or more complex fixes like changing the blower. Buying new parts to replace the faulty old ones will cost some money apart from the service fee you have to pay the technician.
Size and Efficiency of Your Unit
As you ask questions such as “how much does an AC tune-up cost,” you should be aware that your quotation has to be customized for you. The size and efficiency of your unit will determine the cost you’ll incur for a tune-up. So, when you are calling technicians over, remember to tell them your AC type and prepare your budget accordingly.
Age of the Unit
When asking how much an AC tune-up will cost your technician, you should know that the age of the unit will impact the figure you will get. For example, an air conditioner has a lifespan of about twenty years, but the unit gradually wears down as time passes. Therefore, an old unit will require more work to keep running than a new one.
Accessibility
One of the purposes of a routine tune-up is to ensure that your air conditioner is in a good position always. Part of that includes ensuring that the external unit is adequately protected and easily accessible. If the technicians have to cut down foliages to get to your outdoor unit, they may charge you extra for that.
DIY/Professional Services
The final factor we will be considering is whether you want to do the tune-up yourself or hire a technician. If you are skilled with electronics or do well with tools, you can sit back and look over the different parts of the unit to see if you can do it yourself. Otherwise, it is advisable to hire a professional to do the necessary work.
On average, the cost of AC tune-up in Big Bear ranges between $100 to $1000 if you hire a technician. If you do it yourself, you may not have to spend more than $30.
How Can You Reduce the Cost of AC Tune-Up in Big Bear?
AC tune-up is not expensive, but there are some things you can do to reduce the cost you’ll incur. Here are a few of them:
Do it Yourself
If you can, doing the tune-up yourself will save you some dollars in service cost. However, remember that you should only do this if you have the right skill set, as you may have to spend more in repair if you disrupt something in the system.
Tune-Up Regularly
Frequently servicing your AC may seem like an expensive affair, but it is a worthy investment. If you want to reduce the cost of your tune-up, ensure that you do it often to prevent the damage from accumulating.
Have a Lasting Relationship with Your Technician
Another way to reduce the cost of your AC tune-up is to build a lasting relationship with your technician. They give discounts to regular customers which you can enjoy over the years of working with the same company.
What Does an AC Tune-Up Involve in Big Bear?
As you ask how much an AC tune-up costs, you should know what you are getting in return for your money. If you hire a professional to do the job, they know what to check. However, if you are doing it yourself, you should know what you should do during an AC tune-up. Here are some things to look do:
Check the Refrigerant
The refrigerant is the material that helps to cool your house. The refrigerant usually lasts a long time, but there may be a situation whereby the level dips lower than appropriate. That will affect your home’s cooling, so you should ensure that the technician checks the refrigerant during a tune-up.
Change the Air Filter
The air filter is important to the operations of your air conditioner. It helps prevent dirt and debris from entering the ducts from outside. Unfortunately, due to its functions, the air filter gets clogged easily and needs to be cleaned or changed to suit the needs of the AC. Ideally, you should change your air conditioner’s filter every two weeks or months. This will cost only a little but is necessary to ensure that your AC continues to work efficiently.
Clean the Blower
The blower is responsible for channeling air through the different parts of your air conditioner until it is let out through the ducts. As a result of its functions, the blower occasionally gets clogged with dirt. During a tune-up, you should check if the technician cleans, lubricates, and seals the part properly.
Check the Coil, Condenser, and Compressor
During a tune-up, professional technicians know to check all the parts of your air conditioner’s interior and exterior units. While doing this, they pay attention to the coil, condenser, compressor, and other mechanical parts to ensure that they are functioning properly.
Flush the Condensate Drain
While your air conditioner goes through the motions of cooling your home, it lets out some water. This water has no adverse effect on your AC but you must flush it out of the system. To ensure that the condensate drain is free to let out this moisture, you should flush it during a tune-up.
Check the Thermostat
The thermostat is a core part of any HVAC system, including an air conditioner. During a tune-up of your AC, you should ensure to check the thermostat. A fault with the thermostat will prevent you from enjoying the full use of your air conditioner. Thus, you should never miss the opportunity to have your thermostat checked.
A routine tune-up must involve all of the tasks on this list. There are few other things technicians look out for but you have the most important ones covered.
Check and Clean the Duct
Some people often forget or neglect the duct when tuning their AC. This should not be the case. The duct is the passageway for the air that comes into your home. A dirty duct will blow in contaminated air, which is unhealthy for you and your family. During a tune-up, you should remind the technician to check the duct and clean it if necessary.
How Often Should You Get an AC Tune-up in Big Bear?
You should tune up your AC annually. If you leave in a region with extreme weather conditions, you should consider doing it twice a year. If you are going for the first option, it is better to schedule it towards the beginning of spring when winter is rolling out, and summer is yet to set in. Many people prefer this period to help bring your unit up to motion after taking a break during the winter.
For those who like tuning up their AC twice a year, they schedule the second one at the end of summer before the cold sets in. The session is to cool down the system and put it in a safe condition for the break it takes. In addition, the tune-up will ensure that nothing rusts or develops a fault while the unit is not in use.
Reach Out To Our Experts Today in Big Bear!
A tune-up is necessary for an air conditioner to keep it in a good position throughout the years of use. When you tune-up your air conditioner regularly, you spend a little to save more precious dollars you may have to pay in repair later.
The act of tuning up itself is not expensive, but the cost can increase considerably if you do not do it as often as required. If you are in Big Bear and want to tune up your air conditioner, contact Bear Valley Plumbing & Heating to get professionals to attend to your needs.
If you are looking for a Big Bear plumbing, heating & air conditioning contractor, please call (909) 584-4376 or complete our online request form.
Category: Air Conditioning Repair & Maintenance
