As a homeowner, one of your main responsibilities should be to ensure that your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system is working efficiently and correctly. This can help you avoid a breakdown when you need the system most, and prevent little issues that a professional HVAC technician could fix quickly and easily from escalating into serious and potentially costly problems.
While there are technical aspects of HVAC maintenance that only a technician should handle, there are other, simpler aspects that you likely can handle, including:
- Inspect air filters monthly and change them as often, or at least every three months if they are dirty or clogged.
- Check your outside condenser unit for a buildup of leaves and other debris.
- Examine your furnace vents for lint and other blockages.
Benefits of an HVAC maintenance plan
For most other aspects of HVAC care, you should consider signing up for an HVAC maintenance plan. This ensures that your system is inspected at least once, if not twice, annually by an HVAC contractor. Your contractor can perform in-depth cleaning, lubrication and modification of all HVAC components, and help you keep your HVAC system running optimally. Typically, the best time for these inspections is the spring (for your air conditioning system) and the fall (for your heating system) so each portion of your system is ready to work hard during the season ahead. Your contractor also may perform an air quality test to ensure that your home’s indoor air quality is high.
Here are some other steps that your contractor may perform during your preventive maintenance visit:
- Check for leaks, and ensure that refrigerant levels are optimal
- Inspect all electrical connections and terminals
- Check all components for signs of wear, and lubricate all components that require it
- Inspect your home’s ductwork, and seal any leaks
Choosing a good HVAC contractor
One way to find an experienced and professional HVAC contractor is via referral from friends or coworkers. They may recommend an HVAC contractor or warn you about bad ones. When you get a recommendation, call to find out about the services they offer. Find out if they are available around the clock and if they offer free estimates.
For more information about HVAC maintenance plans, or to receive a free estimate for any residential or commercial heating, cooling or air quality issue, contact the experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and have proudly served customers in the Twin Cities metro area for 37 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about maintenance plans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
Service agreement image via Shutterstock