In parts of the country that experience large seasonal temperature variations, homeowners often alternative their annual HVAC maintenance services. For these climates, it makes sense to service your furnace during the summer and your air conditioning system during the winter. Hotter climates can make services more challenging, however, especially when systems are in use year-round.

If you live in an area where fall and winter are just slightly milder versions of summer, then keeping your AC system maintained is a crucial part of homeownership. Below you'll find three reasons why routine servicing is so essential for residents of hot climates.

1. Longer Duty Cycles

Your air conditioner has several components that can wear out over time, but the compressor is by far the most costly to replace. In most cases, a failed compressor means that it's time to replace the entire system. In colder climates, the compressor may only run for a third of the year or less, but this duty cycle can easily double in warmer areas.

If you run your air conditioner for more than a handful of months each year, then it's essential to have a professional inspect and clean your entire system. Problems such as refrigerant leaks or dirty coils can place significant stress on the compressor. Running the system for 5-6 months out of each year can magnify maintenance issues such as these, causing the compressor to wear out much more quickly.

2. More Dirt Build-Up

There are three areas in a typical air conditioner system where dirt and dust can build-up and affect its operation: the condenser coils, the evaporator coils, and the blower filter. When your system runs for longer, it has more time to pull contaminants across all three locations. Dirty coils and clogged filters reduce your system's efficiency and ultimately cause the compressor to work much harder.

Keeping your system running well when it's hot for most of the year means routinely cleaning these items and inspecting them for damage. Neglecting this maintenance even once or twice can cause your energy bills to increase and potentially reduce the lifespan of your entire air conditioning system.

3. Greater Cooling Load

Most areas that stay warm year-round also tend to get much hotter in the deepest parts of the summer. Unfortunately, residential air conditioning units do not have an infinite capacity for cooling and can typically only reduce the interior temperature by about 20 degrees. When it's scorching outside, your air conditioner will struggle to keep up with the greater cooling load.

Although you can reduce this strain on your system by turning your thermostat up, your compressor will still need to work harder during the hottest parts of the year. Keeping up with routine maintenance ensures that this extra workload won't push your system to its breaking point. Contact a local HVAC professional, like those at Art Electric & HVAC Inc and other locations, for more help and info.