If you’ve recently replaced or upgraded your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner, you are no doubt aware that new HVAC equipment requires an investment of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. After spending a significant amount on a new heating or cooling system, it makes sense to make another investment as well, HVAC preventive maintenance.
What Is HVAC Preventive Maintenance?
HVAC preventive maintenance consists of the checks, inspections, tune-ups, adjustments and minor repairs that an HVAC professional performs on your heating and cooling equipment to keep it working properly, at its greatest level of efficiency and at the lowest possible cost.
When you make your initial investment in HVAC equipment, you can expect it to work correctly and reliably. If you’ve purchased high-efficiency equipment, you can expect it to produce outstanding levels of cooling and heating at a lower cost.
Like any mechanical system, however, your HVAC equipment experiences wear over time. Minor problems can develop that can become significant issues if not corrected early. Controls, sensors and thermostats might become less precise and need to be adjusted to ensure consistent and accurate performance. Components could come loose or be damaged by simple wear or outside forces. Eventually, a neglected HVAC system will start to malfunction, and in the most extreme cases it could fail completely. If this happens, the system will require repair or, if the damage is great enough, replacement.
What Does Preventive Maintenance Consist Of?
Preventive HVAC maintenance consists of tasks designed to improve HVAC system performance and prevent malfunctions and breakdowns. Some of the more important elements of maintenance include:
- Changing air filters
- Checking refrigerant charge and adding more if needed
- Tightening electrical connections
- Adjusting and calibrating controls and thermostats
- Lubricating moving parts, including fans
- Checking heat exchangers for damage
- Cleaning and adjusting burners
- Inspecting ductwork for air leaks
For more information on preventive HVAC maintenance, check out One Source Heating & Cooling’s preventive HVAC maintenance solutions or call our Birmingham location at (205) 509-1929.
