HVAC Check Up: Are They Important?
With even colder weather on the way, the time has come to check up on your HVAC performance. Performing an HVAC check up in the early winter can help you avoid problems and sudden interruptions when you’re depending on heating the most. Given the minor cost of a professional HVAC check up, getting one might be the best investment you make this season.
Here’s how the process works.
Energizing Your HVAC System
The principle behind check ups is simple: Make sure the equipment that heats and cools your home is running as it was designed and ready for heavy usage. An HVAC check up is the energizer your system needs to power through the winter.
You can also choose a more extensive package that includes a total home energy audit and plumbing check.
Automobiles and other machines with moving parts need the same attention your HVAC system does, especially as deep winter approaches. You wouldn’t plan a long-distance road trip without checking out your car first, so before winter arrives in earnest, make sure your heating system is running at peak performance.
The Key Parts of an HVAC Check Up
When HVAC technicians arrive, they’ll check on your thermostat to make sure your energy use is only programmed for times when someone is home. Technicians will also review the performance and integrity of electrical connections to make sure your system is utilizing every part as designed. Faulty wiring can pose dangers like electrical fires and increase the likelihood your system will fail before reaching its full life expectancy.
HVAC technicians will lubricate the key components of the system before turning to the condensate drain. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star website points out that blocked condensate drains can lead to costly leaks and unsafe humidity levels in the home, making them a priority on the tuneup checklist. Depending on the type of heating system you have installed, technicians will clean burners or heat exchangers to minimize fire risk and enhance the overall system performance.
HVAC Technician Advice
Another valuable feature of an HVAC check up is the advice a technician can offer after completing the maintenance checklist. During peak seasons, your system will need filter changes or cleanings on a monthly basis. HVAC pros will change your filter during maintenance procedures, but ask them to walk you through the details if you haven’t handled this job yourself yet.
As technicians clean and repair your heating and cooling equipment, ask them if you are using your system correctly. Without meaning to, you may be using your system in such a way that you’re damaging it. The expert advice of an experienced contractor can help you avoid unnecessary problems.
An HVAC tuneup can cost less than $100, so this minor investment will go a long way toward improving efficiency and extending the life of your heating equipment. Ask Reliable Heating & Air in Atlanta about seasonal specials and make sure your system is in peak working order for the months ahead.