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Maintaining And Servicing Your Air Conditioner
Summer is here and before those hot days set in it is time to have your annual checkup on your air conditioning unit. If you ignore the yearly inspection and cleaning, your A/C system will have a better chance of breaking down, stop working entirely or even worse, need replacement. The biggest problem that occurs in your air conditioning system is dirt. Dirt in your system will lower its efficiency to cool air, use more electricity than is required and wear parts at a faster rate. Another important service tip is to have the system lubricated and check the belt to see if it needs adjusting. Whatever type of air conditioning unit you have, you do not want to wait until those hot summers days are here and your A/C unit does not want to come on.
When your air conditioner is adjusted properly and clean it will save you money and extend the life of your system. A typical annual A/C service usually cost around $100.00 to perform which is much cheaper than having to replace it with a new air conditioner because of lack of maintenance and service. So do not wait until the hot weather hits and you are without a working air conditioner, have your A/C unit checked out and serviced to keep it running efficiently through the hot days approaching us.
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Basic Car Brake Maintenance
If you have basic mechanic skills then doing your own brake inspection will not be as hard as it sounds (Unless you want a professional to do it. Find a local repair shop by searching online for something like Brake Repair San Diego) Your car brakes are made up of 5 main components. It consist of the master brake cylinder, calipers, rotors, brake drums (mainly in older vehicles) brake pads and brake lines.
The braking system in your car operates hydraulically which means that is uses brake fluid to transfer the pushing of your foot on the pedal to the brakes on your wheel. So here is the first thing you want to inspect, the master cylinder. The master brake cylinder is attached to the firewall underneath the hood of your car. Here you can inspect brake fluid levels and check if there is any dirt built up around the master cylinder.
Next you will want to inspect the brake calipers, pads and rotors. These 3 components work together to make sure your car stops. You will want to inspect them for signs of damage or wear. In order to properly inspect these three components it is best to remove the wheel so a full inspection can be made. If you can see that there is only 1/8 inch of pad left on the brakes, then it is time to get them replaced before real damage is done to your braking system. If your brake pads get to the point where they are worn they will usually make a squealing noise to let you know it is time to have your brakes replaced.
When having your brakes worked on it is important to find a qualified automotive technician. Make sure they are using quality or OEM brake replacement parts to guarantee your braking system will last. Many companies can be found in your area by doing an internet search. For example typing in will bring up many automotive repair shops that offer this type of work.