Your air conditioner has to work hard all summer long to keep your house cool. To do a good job of this, the AC has to be well-maintained, or a breakdown is a possibility. It's a common practice to have your air conditioner serviced in the spring before the cooling season begins. Here's why that's important and why you don't want to skip the service call.

Dirty Coils Can Ice Over

Dirty coils are a problem for an air conditioner. When your AC gets a yearly tuneup, the coils are cleaned so they're free of grime and dust. If the coils aren't cleaned, the grime on them builds up and acts as insulation on the coils. This keeps the refrigerant from cooling the air, and even worse, dirty coils can cause your AC to freeze over. If you come home from work one evening to find your AC covered in ice and not functioning, dirty coils could be to blame.

Refrigerant Can Leak Out

Another problem you may encounter with your AC is a loss of refrigerant. Normally, the refrigerant doesn't leak out, so if it's low, then there's a leak somewhere that has to be repaired. During an annual service call, the HVAC technician checks pressure in the refrigerant line to test for a leak. If one is found, repairs are made and the refrigerant is refilled. If the leak isn't found and repaired, the refrigerant will leak out and your AC won't be able to cool your home.

A Dirty Blower Can Shut Down Your AC

The blower motor is responsible for pushing air over the refrigerant coils. It does this by pulling air through a round fan cage and then on to the coils. If the fan or the motor get clogged up with dirt and dust, they won't operate as well. The debris can cause the motor to overheat. The result is an air conditioner that can't cool as well as it should, and the dirt buildup can even cause your AC to short cycle or shut down. This problem can be avoided by having the blower assembly cleaned once a year.

It may seem like your air conditioner is working fine, so you might think you can skip the annual service call. However, doing so could end up costing you money for repairs and causing you inconvenience by suffering through a loss of air conditioning. Preventative maintenance is very important for an air conditioner because it keeps the AC clean and the parts replaced when they get worn. The result is an AC that keeps your home nice and cool all summer while reducing the risk of breakdowns. Click here for additional reading.