When's the last time you scheduled a preventive maintenance tune-up for your home's central air conditioning system? If you can't remember, or it's been more than a year, you should schedule an A/C maintenance visit as soon as possible. Your system has likely lost efficiency and may be under-performing, while small problems that haven't been addressed may be developing into larger ones. Most HVAC experts recommend annual service on your central A/C and semi-annual service for heat pumps.
It's difficult to detail everything your technician will do during A/C maintenance. No two companies do exactly the same thing. Some might offer very basic preventive maintenance while others might offer several levels of service, from basic to comprehensive. However, most should check the following items during standard A/C maintenance.
Air Filters
The technician should check the air filter and change it if necessary. Most HVAC technicians will bring along a filter to the visit unless you tell them beforehand that you recently installed a new one. He'll make sure indoor vents and registers aren't blocked by furniture or other objects, and that airflow to the outside unit isn't impeded by yard debris, weeds, dead leaves, etc.
Mechanical Systems
Your technician will also check mechanical systems, including motors, the compressor and capacitor. Any necessary lubrication will be done to bearings and other moving parts, and machinery will be checked for worn or loose parts. Worn-out belts will be replaced.
Electrical Systems
The technician will check electrical connections (no exposed or loose wiring), as well as voltage and amperage on motors.
Refrigerant
The refrigerant level will be measured, and if it's low, more will be added. In this case, the technician may check for a refrigerant leak, since the system should not be losing refrigerant through normal operation. System airflow should be checked and adjusted.
Condenser and Evaporator Coils
If either of the coils (indoor evaporator and outdoor condenser) are dirty, the tech will clean them. If they don't look dirty, he may skip this task.
To schedule A/C maintenance for your Fort Wayne area home, contact Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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