Air Conditioning units need an essential piece if equipment that reduces an enormous amount of wear and tear on your condensing unit.  This equipment is called a "Time Delay Switch."  A Time Delay Switch is installed within the electrical system of the condensing unit and adds a 5 minute "Time Delay" to the compressor cycle.  If the power is cut due to a lightning strike, the system will stop the compressor from coming on for 5 minutes.  This prevents a short cycle in the compressor which could cause major damage to your Air Conditioning system. 

I asked the Owner of Expert Air Conditioning inc. what is the most important maintenance you can perform to keep your AC system running at its most efficient level? 

He began to explain how much AC system's here in Florida run during the year.  On average an AC system in Florida will run up to 2,800 hours a year as opposed to only 400 for an AC system in a home in the Northern parts of the U.S.  It is imperative to have an AC system serviced at least twice a year to make sure the system is operating at its peak efficiency.  It is also important because the Service Tech can identify a potential catastrophic failure of the system, and catch the small issue that will develop into an expensive problem in the near future.  

I brought this question to all of our Service Technicians and the consensus amongst all the emergency calls they are called to come asses are...

 

1.  Air Conditioning water drain lines clogging where a drain safety switch is utilized within the line causing the switch to trip and not allow the compressor to turn on. This, on one hand is a benefit because if indeed the drain line is clogged, water doesn't build up and leak out all over the floor from the air conditioner. 

 

2.  The second major cause of an Air Conditioning systems to not operate is a De-Humidistat set improperly which is usually located just next to the Thermostat.