As the calendar changes, so do the specific requirements for seasonal HVAC care. The components involved in keeping your home comfortable change as the outdoor conditions dictate. During the winter, the focus is on maintaining the components that provide safe, efficient heating. As summer arrives, seasonal HVAC care necessarily means proper air conditioner upkeep.
Annual professional maintenance is vital to optimum indoor comfort, low operating costs, and the safety of your family. Specific to the heating and cooling seasons, here are some standard maintenance requirements as performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Winter Heating Maintenance
- Basic furnace service. This includes burner inspection and cleaning, as well as testing the furnace for proper levels of combustion gases. The igniter will be cleaned and tested for reliable function.
- Heat exchanger inspection. This vital component transfers heat from the furnace burner to the airflow that warms your house. Heat exchangers also perform a critical safety function to prevent dangerous carbon monoxide gas from entering the home.
- Check the vent pipe. The full length of the pipe must be checked, as must the vent screen and cap where the pipe terminates on the roof.
- Test carbon monoxide detectors in the home for proper operation.
- Lubricate and clean the blower motor.
- Install a fresh air filter.
- Make sure all supply and return vents in the house are open and unobstructed.
- Test the thermostat for proper system operation.
Summer A/C Maintenance
- Clear away any growth of vegetation or debris around the outdoor condenser unit.
- Clean the evaporator and condenser coils.
- Verify proper function of the condensate drain system.
- Measure the refrigerant charge in the system. If it is low, perform a leak-detection procedure to locate and repair the leak, then restore the proper level of refrigerant.
- Lubricate and clean the blower motor.
- Install a fresh air filter.
- Make sure all supply and return vents in the house are open and unobstructed.
- Test the thermostat for proper system operation.
To schedule seasonal HVAC care by a qualified service technician, contact the professionals at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
