Our last post was our annual reminder about scheduling air conditioning maintenance every spring—or a bit before spring for Florida because of the way our seasons work. But we aren’t finished with all we have to say about AC maintenance yet. It’s important enough for a second reminder as well as some more in-depth information about what makes maintenance so critical.
So we’re going to go into “scary mode” in this post. We’re not alarmists, but when it comes to air conditioning in Alachua, FL, we’re experts who have seen what can go wrong when an AC isn’t given regular professional care. We want you to avoid these problems, so putting a bit of a scare into you is healthy. It’s much better than being trapped with no AC on a 90°F + day!
It’s not yet officially spring. That doesn’t happen until the third week of March. But Florida weather is Florida weather, and we have to be ready for hot spells at almost any time, and the season for air conditioning seems to start earlier each year. We’re sure you’ve used your AC a few times during the last couple of months, which is when people in many other parts of the country have their furnaces going full-blast through the day to fend off below-freezing temperatures. 
Before we go further in answering this question, we want to make sure we know what you mean by “air filters.” If you’re referring to the air filter on your HVAC cabinet, the one you’re supposed to change every one to three months, then you don’t have an actual air cleaning system of any kind in place. This filter isn’t in place for better indoor air quality but to protect the interior of the HVAC system from dust and debris. The type of air filters you need for improved indoor air quality are specialized air filtration systems, and that’s something you can call us for. These filters are the best place to start when you’re looking to improve indoor air quality for your house.
Before we go further in this post, we want to be clear: 
A problem our technicians often address in air conditioning systems is short-cycling. This is when an air conditioner becomes trapped in the start-up cycle so it doesn’t complete a regular cycle. The thermostat activates the compressor to begin cooling down the house, but for some reason, the compressor shuts down early. Soon after, the compressor starts again, only to shut down early once more… and the process repeats.
Corrosion is a major enemy of most metal devices and appliances. With air conditioners, corrosion along the evaporator or condenser coils is responsible for 40% of system failures. Corrosion can happen quickly and may result from years of moisture exposure.
Short answer: Probably not. You can lower them.
We often recommend UV air purifiers to our customers who are looking for the best in indoor air quality. UV air purifiers use the power of ultraviolet radiation, the same energy that comes from the UV rays in the sun, to kill organic pollutants moving through a home’s HVAC system. This includes bacteria, germs, viruses, and mold spores. UV air purifiers are especially helpful for the Florida climate, which is humid enough to make it easy for many unpleasant organic pollutants to thrive. Mold in particular is a problem that can get into many ventilation systems, where it not only releases unhealthy mold spores but can create damage to the ductwork.
We know that it can be frustrating to find out your air conditioning system needs replacement. It feels like you haven’t had your system for that long, after all (although you may not remember the exact date). In our area, air conditioning systems fail even sooner than in other parts of the country. So when you set out to purchase a new air conditioner, you have one big question: how long will this one last?