Word Count Excluding Title and Bio: Approx. 745
Word count excluding title and bio: approx. 745
How Can I Reduce A/C Service Calls?
By Mark Cukro, CAMT, CAMTII, CAPS
Preventive Maintenance = Savings!
Take care of your HVAC system, and it will take care of the residents and result in fewer service calls.
For many of us it is a hot and hectic summer and we want fewer A/C calls and for some reason they often seem to come in all at once. For anyone on call it can seem as if it is at 4:59 pm every Friday.
An effective way to reduce the amount of A/C calls is to check the entire system during the make-ready process and label the outdoor units/condensers to identify which unit it is actually connected to.
How many times have you found a unit that had the wrong number on it? Whether it was a unit that had a different number on the electrical disconnect compared to what is written on the actual unit itself or if the outdoor unit was completely on a different side of the building with no unit number identifying the units is time wasted and can be very frustrating.
One way to solve this is to use vinyl stickers on the disconnect box and unit. They are inexpensive and do not fade in a short time period like magic markers and paint pens. In my experience if the sticker ever does get peeled off, one can almost always make out the numbers and letters.
Check the Difference in Temperature
The difference in temperature between the air going into the return grill and coming out of the supply vent should be around 15-20 degrees. In other words, if it is 100 degrees in someone’s home, the coldest the supply air will be is 80-85 degrees. If it is 80 degrees in a home the coldest the air coming out of the vents should be is 60-65 degrees.
If the difference is too high that means something may need to be corrected such as airflow or the charge is either too high or low.
Make Sure All Coils Are Clean
If an A/C unit doesn’t has excellent airflow it cannot and will not operate at its maximum capacity or efficiency and as a result will give incorrect gauge pressures.
Cleaning the indoor and outdoor coils during a turn doesn’t take too much extra time and the time is well worth the reduction in A/C calls, unnecessary overtime, and most of all it will prevent an over-worked Service Team.
Check the Refrigerant Level
Check the refrigerant charge during every turn in the summer or warm months.
Condensation Leaks
Well for many of us we have just finished getting bombarded with the first wave of A/C calls and corrected more than our share of undercharged units.
Whew!
Historically what happens next when the A/C systems are up and running is condensation leaks. Condensation leaks can wreak havoc in your ceilings, on the carpet, and really make a mess while frustrating a resident.
Cleaning out drain pans and adding something as simple as a Sludge preventing drain tablet can save a fortune in time and frustration and prevent you from making a return trip. Let’s face it, the last thing a technician wants to do is make several trips to the same home for the same or similar problem.
Keep in mind that condensation water is absolutely filthy and should be treated whenever it leaks. It has been known as a source to cause Legionnaires Disease, so please be sure to disinfect any area that has come in contact with condensation. Many reports show that is carries more harmful bacteria than raw sewage.
An ounce of prevention will save you a pound of work so install the tablets and they will make a difference. Clean coils whenever you get a chance, and of course, the best time to install the drain tablets is during the turn process. If you make it a habit I guarantee you’ll get fewer condensation leaks.
Checking the charge is one of the best ways to determine in an A/C is functioning but it should also be one of the last checks made. The reason, if the coils are clean, the airflow is correct then the gauges will give a much more accurate and telling measurement.
Train the Team
Teams that continuously train perform better than teams that don’t. Whether it is a refresher class for an experienced technician, trouble-shooting, or an introduction for a new and upcoming technician, training always costs less than one resident with no A/C for a few days.
Mark Cukro, CAMT, CAMTII, CAPS, is the President of Plus One Consulting, Inc. and founder of ServiceTeamTraining.com. Prior to starting his own company, he was the Director of Service Team Development for a national management company with over 48,000 apartment homes. Mark is a national speaker and a leading resource in the field of service team development and training. He can be reached at or 704-363-6236.