Do you want to know what your contractor does during spring preventative HVAC maintenance?
Spring HVAC preventative maintenance is the best thing you can do for your HVAC system…and your wallet! During the summer, your air conditioner works hard to make sure your home is at just the right temperature. On hotter days, this can make the air conditioner work harder, which translates to a higher electricity bill. In fact, heating and air conditioning equipment makes up more than HALF of your monthly utility bill spending.
Spring preventative maintenance does a couple of things for your cooling equipment.
- Helps you avoid emergency “no cool” calls during the peak cooling season.
- Helps your unit run as efficiently as possible, saving you money during the peak cooling season.
Here are a few things that go on during a spring preventative maintenance appointment.
- Contractors inspect the indoor coil for cleanliness. He will clean the coil if necessary.
- While inside, the contractor will inspect the furnace or air handler blower assembly for proper operation and cleanliness.
- Your contractor will inspect all electrical connections.
- They will check the operation of the compressor and outdoor fan motor.
- Lastly, they will check the system’s refrigerant level. Keep in mind, if the refrigerant level is low, your contractor should check for a leak, NOT just replace the refrigerant. If it is determined that there is a leak, your contractor will either fix the leak or replace the component that is leaking.
Keep in mind, there are also things you can do to help your air conditioner run as efficiently as possible during the summer, like changing your furnace filter. Under some conditions, it is advisable to change your furnace filter as frequently as once a month! Make sure you ask your local contractor for a recommendation.
Like this post? Share it!
Do you know how to spot the best HVAC contractor?
It’s time to get those air conditioners geared up for the cooling season! Have you scheduled preventative maintenance yet? Scheduling preventative maintenance is the most important thing you can do for your cooling equipment. Not only will this help prevent minor issues from becoming major problems later, but a contractor can also get your unit up and running as efficiently as possible.
The key to successful preventative maintenance – and any HVAC work for that matter – is hiring a qualified professional. It’s important to know what to look for in a contractor to ensure your maintenance, repair or replacement job is going to go as smoothly as possible.
Here are the signs of a quality HVAC contractor.
Makes a house call before giving you a quote. If you are having a new system installed or an old one replaced, it is crucial that you get the best system for your home. A contractor who gives you a quote on the back of a business card or over the phone, without stepping foot in your home, can’t possibly know the type of equipment you need or the amount of work needed for the job.
Reputation matters. It’s not just word-of-mouth recommendations anymore – the internet provides a wealth of information that can help you make an informed hiring decision. You want to make sure that the contractor you hire has a positive reputation with past clients. It is very hard to run from a bad online reputation. So, check those review sites!
Proper documentation. It is important that your contractor is up-to-date on all licenses and permits, as it is with most home improvement projects.
Curious contractors. Your heating and cooling situation is unique. A qualified contractor is going to make sure you get the system you want in your home by asking questions.
It can be tempting to look for the contractor who gives you the best deal, but you do not want to sacrifice quality. Skilled contractors often have higher overhead costs due to things like keeping up with training and running a reputable business. If you think hiring a good contractor is expensive, try hiring an unkilled one.
Don’t know where to start your contractor search? Start here.
Like this post? Share it!
Do you know what to do to get your home ready for an HVAC contractor visit?
Spring maintenance season is fast approaching! It is important that you not only schedule a maintenance appointment with your local contractor, but you take the time to prepare for that appointment. This will save the contractor time at your home and will make the appointment go much more smoothly.
Here are some things that you should do before your HVAC contractor arrives at your home.
Bathroom preferences. Is there a certain bathroom you would like your contractor to use? It’s much better to communicate this beforehand. Make sure you tidy up and put away anything you don’t want a stranger seeing.
Put up pets. Fido may be friendly as can be, but you never know how a contractor may feel about pets. Make sure you put your pets in a safe, secure location. You don’t want them interfering with the work your contractor is doing.
Clear clutter away from equipment. Make sure your contractor will have easy access to your equipment so they don’t have to move your stuff out of the way to get to your outdoor condenser, indoor gas furnace or air handler.
Know where your equipment is located. Is your indoor equipment in a closet, crawlspace or attic? Do you know where your outdoor equipment is located? Is all of your equipment located outdoors? Where is your thermostat? Do you have multiple thermostats? These are important questions to find the answers to before your contractor walk in the door. This can really save some time on the job. And, as we all know, time is money.
The start to any quality heating and cooling service call, maintenance appointment or install starts with the search for a quality local contractor. Make sure you do some research before you hire the professional who is going to work on your heating and cooling equipment.
Did you know these tips already? Is there anything extra you do when a contractor comes to work on your home?
Like this post? Share it!
Have you noticed water pooling by your gas furnace?
Oh no! Pooling water is a big red flag when it comes to heating and cooling equipment.
All gas furnaces produce condensation. Some produce more than others. For example, high-efficiency furnaces produce more condensation due to the way they operate. To help tackle this, high-efficiency systems include piping and drain pans to collect condensation. If these components are clogged or damaged in any way, it can result in leaks and pools around your heating and air conditioning equipment.
It doesn’t matter if you have a high-efficiency gas furnace or a standard-efficiency gas furnace, extra water around your heating and air equipment is not a good thing. It can help facilitate mold growth, cause rust and damage other components!
What can you do about extra water? Well, what you shouldn’t do is attempt to fix the component yourself. DIY is great for a good many things, but that does not include work on your heating and air conditioning equipment. Drop the wrench, pick up the phone and call a local heating and air conditioning contractor.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you are searching for a good local HVAC contractor…
Never accept a quote over the phone or on the back of a business card. Make sure the technician comes out and diagnoses the problem before they tell you how much the repair is going to cost. The situation can vary from job to job. In general, there is no “one-price-fits-all” solution to HVAC.
Are they asking questions? Your home and comfort needs are unique. The only way your contractor is going to be able to know your home’s specifics is if they ask you questions.
Have a positive reputation online and from past clients. It’s hard to run from a negative reputation. If they have done quality work on past jobs, chances are they will do well on your job as well.
In an emergency situation, like a leak or “no heat” call, it may be tempting to go with the person that can come to your home the soonest or charges the least. However, you could be sacrificing quality by going with just anybody. You won’t regret taking the time to find the right company for the job.
Have you ever had an experience with water pooling around your gas furnace?
Like this post? Share it!
Do you know the right questions to ask your HVAC contractor?
Did you know that hiring your contractor can be even more important than finding a system? While it’s important to find the right system for your home, it’s not going to matter which system you choose if it’s installed incorrectly.
When it comes to your contractor… Ask for recommendations from friends and family. Check out online reviews. And, make sure that the person you hire is fully qualified to be working on your comfort system.
Once you have narrowed down your options, you have to make sure that you ask the right questions.
- If you have hot and cold spots in your home, ask about their multi-stage offerings.
- If you have pets, ask about reducing pet dander.
- If you have allergies, ask about allergy-reducing IAQ products.
- Ask about controlling humidity in your home.
- Ask if they have the appropriate permits, licenses, certifications, etc.
- Ask about room-by-room comfort control.
- Ask about reducing dust.
- Ask about high-efficiency heating systems (if you live in a place with cold winters) and high-efficiency cooling systems (if you live in a place with hot summers).
Remember, just because someone offers the lowest price, doesn’t mean you are getting the best deal. Oftentimes, running a reputable business will mean that a contractor has to charge more. That “too-good-to-be-true” deal will be just that… Avoid quotes over the phone and on the back of business cards. Avoid a contractor who does not do a proper load calculation to determine the size of your unit. Your heating and air conditioning system is an investment in your comfort – make it a smart one.
Did you make sure to ask some of these questions the last time you bought an HVAC system?
Like this post? Share it!
Have you scheduled your fall furnace maintenance appointment yet?
It may only be the first full week of fall, but you want to make sure that you have fall furnace maintenance on your radar. Do you know what a contractor actually does during a preventative maintenance appointment? Understanding what your contractor does can really shine some light on why scheduling an appointment is critical for long-term heating system health.
Remember, fall maintenance is the best way to avoid an emergency “no heat” service call over the winter. It is also a great way to catch minor issues that could affect the performance of your system. Better performance can mean savings on your utility bills each month.
If you have a furnace in your home, your contractor will:
- Clean components like the burner and heat exchanger (if necessary).
- Look over your venting system and make sure that it is operating correctly.
- Check the equipment for rust, soot, leaks, corroded electrical contacts and frayed wires.
If you have a heat pump that you use during the winter, your contractor will:
- Clean the indoor evaporator coil if necessary.
- Check the refrigerant level.
- Make sure the compressor and outdoor fan motor are operating properly.
- Inspect all electrical connections.
- Clean the furnace or air handler blower assembly and check for proper operation.
In addition, you should have someone come out and inspect your ductwork. This way they can check for any obstructions, collapses, leaks, etc. A faulty air distribution system can affect comfort performance.
Don’t delay! Make sure you call your local heating and air conditioning contractor to schedule maintenance.
Do you always remember to schedule yearly maintenance? Did you know that some manufacturers require ongoing maintenance for full warranty protection?
Like this post? Share it!
- 1
- 2