Most experts recommend scheduling HVAC maintenance twice a year, once for your cooling system and once for your heating system.
HVAC technician working on a residential heat pump
Source: istockphoto
These two HVAC maintenance visits include the same processes to some extent, though they also will vary according to what sort of equipment is being maintained. For example, A/C maintenance and furnace maintenance require some very different tasks. However, if you use a heat pump to both cool and heat your home, cooling seasonal maintenance will closely resemble heating seasonal maintenance.
In general, HVAC maintenance in any season should include a check of the overall system, which includes the equipment that creates the warm or cool air, the air distribution system (fans, ductwork, registers), and the thermostat. Your technician will want to ensure that systems switch on and off correctly and that nothing obvious needs to be repaired or replaced.
Cleaning and lubricating parts and components is also a key aspect of seasonal HVAC maintenance, For a furnace, this means the blower motor and fuel burner(s), among other parts. In a heat pump, the technician will check to see that both indoor and outdoor coils are clean, and make sure the condensate drain is draining freely. The tech also will check the auxiliary or emergency heating system for a heat pump, whether it’s an electric-resistance coil or a combustion furnace.
If you’re considering fall HVAC maintenance in The Woodlands, keep in mind that the technician will want to ensure that no safety hazards are present. This is especially important if your home is heated by a combustion furnace. A cracked heat exchanger, for example, can release deadly carbon monoxide into your home, as can exhaust pipes or flues that aren’t safely removing CO and other combustion gases from the house. For a heat pump system, the technician will make sure that no refrigerant is leaking, which also can create a safety hazard.
If your technician finds any issues with the system, he or she should offer to fix those problems. To schedule fall HVAC maintenance in The Woodlands, please contact us at Bradbury Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
