No matter where you live, your air conditioner will have to deal with weather extremes periodically. After all, you wouldn’t need climate control if it were always 70 degrees and breezy outside! Living in the Sacramento area is no different, and you need to know the particular challenges that your climate poses to your air conditioner. With appropriate attention and regular professional service, you’ll be able to maximize the lifespan of your AC. Let’s look at what makes Cali a tough place for your system.

Extreme Temperatures

The most obvious issue we face in California is the heat. The very warmth that has drawn millions to live in our state can quickly turn into miserably hot temperatures that send everyone from the beaches and city streets into their homes. Once they get inside, they want to turn down the thermostat and put the air conditioner to work. Not surprisingly, the demand that results from that adjustment of the thermostat can be very taxing on the system.

Everything from blown capacitors to worn-out compressors and more can result from the long, frequent cycles of AC operation that happen when the mercury soars toward the triple digits, but don’t concern yourself with the exact diagnosis. When something just doesn’t seem right or if the system doesn’t work at all, make the call to a contractor and let them sort it out.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and your usage habits and household routines can go a long way toward reducing the strain on your system, even on the hottest days of the year. A great first move is simply to close the blinds and keep the sun out during the day. You can also adjust your thermostat to a warmer setting during the day while everyone’s at work and school. You might want to talk to us about a programmable thermostat or even a smart unit that will let you program and monitor the temperature from wherever you are.

When temperatures start to rise, it quickly becomes a very hard day for your air conditioner, no matter how much you do. The more sweltering summers it sees, the shorter its lifespan will be.

Heavy Dust Loads

California has an incredibly diverse climate, from the deserts of the south to the snowcapped peaks further north, with sandy beaches running the length of the state. Something that is found in almost every corner of California is dust and lots of it. That dust finds its way into every part of every building when the winds kick up and blow in from the ocean.

Dust is one of the biggest enemies of your air conditioner. The first word is “air” for a reason — the system is designed to move air for many hours a day, and the dust that is in that air can create a burden on the system. Dust can accumulate in the ductwork, blower fans, and electronic connections inside, and it can add to the workload for the outside unit as well.

Of course, you cannot stop the dust from blowing into your home, so your job is to do what you can to protect your system from it. Regularly changing filters is the most important way to put your hands on the job, but after that, it’s up to the professionals. You should have your HVAC contractor come by to perform deep cleaning during regular service visits. This will help clear away as much of the contamination as possible so that your system runs at peak efficiency. The higher the efficiency, the longer the system’s life, so don’t let dust erode your budget. Do everything you can to keep the system clean!

Corrosion on the Coast

California has an incredibly long coastline with thousands of miles of exposure to the Pacific Ocean. It’s great for recreation, scenic beauty, and property value, but it is very tough on your air conditioner. That pleasant salty air that you enjoy while visiting the beach is a mortal enemy to your air conditioner.

Salt corrodes all kinds of metal surfaces, causing electrical connections to become brittle and fall apart. Soon you’ll see all kinds of expensive components failing, leaving you in the market for a new air conditioner.

Or at least, that’s what will happen without regular service. When you bring us in for routine upkeep of your system, we’ll be able to head off some of those repairs. Many times, the failure of a small part will cause the failure of a big, expensive part. Service visits allow technicians to see those problems coming and make the little repair that prevents the big repair.

Even with proper care of your system, that Pacific salt is very tough on it and will shorten the unit’s lifespan despite giving your system the best AC maintenance service. When your system finally reaches the end of its days, don’t be surprised to find out that corrosion is at the heart of its problems.

Smog, Smoke, and Other Pollution

Dirty air isn’t just bad for your health; it is also bad for your HVAC’s health. Unfortunately, California has no shortage of airborne contaminants to burden your air conditioner and shorten its life.

Probably the most famous one is smog, the combination of automotive exhaust and fog. When stagnant weather arrives in the area with no winds to dissipate pollution, the morning dampness becomes a way for pollution to drift away from the freeways and into your home.

Of course, it’s not just vehicle fuel that produces smoke in California. Our extreme climate supports many wildfires, some of them massive and lasting for days. All of that material can find its way into your AC as well, and that can be particularly problematic because smoke includes large particles of soot that accumulate quickly on AC parts and lead to more significant damage.

Once again, filtration and regular service will help minimize the effect of smoke on your AC, but it will still shorten the system’s lifespan.

Installation Issues

One thing that always happens in fast-growing areas is the arrival of shady contractors. These companies exploit the high demand for their services by jumping into a busy market and getting work done as quickly as possible before scattering to another city. They leave behind a legacy of slipshod workmanship using poor materials. If your home is part of a recent housing development, you may already be seeing the results of a contractor like this.

Fortunately, our team at Crystal Blue can help clean up a lot of that mess before it becomes a big disaster. During a service call, we don’t just address things that are worn out. We also deal with the things that were never done right in the first place.

Make the Most of Your AC

We can’t control the weather, but we certainly can control what it does to our air conditioning systems. No matter what stresses your system faces, the first step is always to have routine service performed. The AC service team at Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating, and Air in Sacramento is always glad to work with homeowners to answer their questions about how our California weather puts such heavy demands on HVAC. Most importantly, we are also glad to help you keep your system serviced and repaired for peak performance and maximum service life. Give us a call today.