You Need Heating and Cooling Maintenance!
Spring is an amazing time for your system maintenance! Those first warm days can be so exciting and refreshing! Don’t get so caught up with spring fever that you just shut your heat off and don’t think about it again until fall. Taking a few smart steps right now can save you when it comes to your energy bills and maintenance for both winter warming and summer cooling.
Spring Maintenance for the Heating System
The heating maintenance steps that you take will necessarily depend on what type of heating system you currently have in your home. A heat pump, a heating and cooling system, or a furnace will each have its own specific needs, even though some of the steps will be the same for all of them. It doesn’t matter which one of these you have, though, as spring is the ideal time to get the filter on your system changed. This job is simple and you can do it yourself. Just be sure to write the date of the filter change on the frame of the filter using a permanent marker and to set a date on your calendar so that you can remember to change it again in a period of three months.
If you happen to have a heat pump, now would be a great time to make sure that the outer components are clean. The condensing unit may have accumulated some plant matter, ice, rock, and dirt. Just hose the unit off to get rid of those particles to make sure that they don’t have a chance to get deeper into the system and cause damage. This is recommended to be done after the season for using it is over.
This is also the ideal time to ensure that you have a minimum of 4 inches of clearance underneath the condensing coil. This is because condensation will form on this coil and then drip down. It needs to have space to properly drain. You might also want to trim any plant growth back about 18 inches from the unit to ensure that it has enough of a flow of air to properly operate.
Hiring a Pro
With summer coming soon, you will probably be wanting to hire a professional to come out and service your system. There are some things that you need to do to ensure that you get the right one. The first thing is to do your research. You will need to know the model of the system you have and its history of maintenance. You also need to know if there are any rooms in your home that feel hotter or colder than the others. This will all be good information to give the company you hire.
Once you find a few companies, you will need to verify their qualifications. Check their accreditation and ask for references. Check those references. Ask specific questions such as if they showed up on time, did a good job, cleaned up when they were finished, etc. This will ensure that you get a company that is worth their salt.
If the technician you hire will be there to service your air conditioner, they need to check for the proper amount of refrigerant, and capture any of the refrigerant that might have leaked into the system and evacuate it. They must not release it illegally into the atmosphere. They should use a leak detector to check for any possible leaks. They should also check for any leaks in the ducts for central systems and if they find any, those should be sealed. The airflow that goes through the evaporator coil needs to be measured. The tech also needs to verify the proper electric control sequence to ensure that the cooling and heating system do not operate at the same time. They also need to inspect the electrical terminals, make sure that connections and tight and clean, and give them a coating that is not conductive if needed. Motors should be oiled and belts need to be checked for wear and tightness. Finally, the accuracy of the thermostat should be checked.
All of these things need to be done every spring to make sure that your heating and cooling system is in great running order.