This is an easy one.  Yes it is!

I know that spending money in these economic times is not fun.  Especially on a piece of equipment that you use maybe  3 to 4 months a year in Minnesota.  However, it is the fact that we live in Minnesota that makes it even more important to have your air conditioner serviced every year.

Your air conditioner works by cooling refrigerant that circulates between a coil that sits in ductwork above your furnace and the condenser that sits outside your home.  The idea is that heat is removed through this process by the big fan in the condenser and the coils in the condenser. Blockage of the fan or the coils causes a reduced air flow which does not allow the refrigerant to cool which causes the a/c to overheat and shut down or not reduce the heat in your house.

One of the ways Minnesota has an effect on your air conditioner is a result of cottonwood trees.  Cottonwood trees start shedding in May or June.  You probably don’t see the trees but, see cotton like floating things which make it look like it is snowing.  These tend to get sucked into the outside of the a/c condenser covering the tiny coils.  Leaving the coils covered will have a huge impact on the effectiveness and life cycle of your air conditioner.  Even brand new air conditioners are effected by this. The condenser will be starved for air and you can actually feel how hot the air is if you put your hand above the a/c condenser.

Another way MN has an effect is the little amount of time you use your a/c.  The most demanding use of the a/c is when it turns on.  In Minnesota, this happens a lot.  The air conditioner will come on and cool the house and then shut off many times.  Unless we are in the 90′s and humid the a/c is not required to run non stop.  We are just the opposite of states located on the west coast or southern part of the country.  In those states the furnace behaves like our air conditioners if they have a furnace.  It is very important that you have the proper refrigerant in your a/c.  Proper refrigerant levels will help protect the compressor when it is turning on and does not have any fluid moving.  Sort of like engine oil in your car.  Proper refrigerant levels will also prevent the coil inside the house from freezing up which prevents cooling and could cause water leaking into your furnace.  (This is another subject totally as to why this happens.)

The third way MN has an effect,  is the air flow that is going over the coil can cover the coil with lint, dust or anything that the filter in your furnace that runs 6 or 7 months of the year doesn’t catch.  Cleaning this coil will help the efficiency of your a/c by making the metal exposed to the air flow instead of being covered in a blanket of lint and dust.

So in review, YES, is the answer to Is Cleaning and Servicing My Air Conditioner Needed Every Year in MN.  It is important that you have the following done every year:

• Have the condenser that is outside your house cleaned.
• Check refrigerant levels and pressures.
• Have your A coil that is in your home and sits above your furnace check or cleaned.

You will save big money if you do this every year in the spring by hiring a contractor while they are running specials.  Or an even better deal is signing up for maintenance plan like our Service Partner Plan.

At Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air, we can help you decide the best solutions for your home.  Give us a call or email us for more information.

Happy Cooling!!!