Many households rely on reverse-cycle air-conditioners to heat and cool their homes. Sadly this vital appliance is often neglected.

Sharpe Services gets many emergency call-outs to systems that have suddenly stopped. Most failures could have been prevented by regular servicing.

One common issue is a worn-out compressor, a key component of any air-conditioner.

Over years of use the compressor wears out, especially if the unit is switched on and off frequently. As it wears its ability to compress the refrigerant vital for air-conditioning becomes weaker and it uses more power to compensate.

In extreme cases complete failure can ignite a fire within the unit.

This is why it is important to get your air-conditioner checked regularly both for performance and safety.

SA’s Metropolitan Fire Service is quite clear on where householders’ responsibilities lie.

“In your home, you are responsible for the fire safety of those you care most about,” it says.

The MFS then states: “Maintenance of heating equipment (including gas heaters, oil heaters and air conditioners) should be carried out as recommended by the manufacturer using a qualified tradesperson.”

Don’t take chances. Book a service by a fully-qualified Sharpe Services technician. Sharpe’s experts will ensure your system has the correct refrigerant gas levels, the thermostat is operating properly and all the internal components meet the manufacturer’s specifications.

An indication that your reverse-cycle system is running efficiently and is correctly sized for the area you are heating is the fact you should only need to run it at 20C-22C.

Obvious warning signs of failure are the air-conditioner becoming noisy, emitting a burning smell or tripping a circuit breaker on the switchboard.

If your system seems to be losing its efficiency don’t rush into a replacement until Sharpe Services has had a thorough look at it.

With a supply chain to the industry’s best and most trusted brands, Sharpe Services can complete affordable repairs or advise on and supply the most appropriate replacement system.