Today’s heating and cooling systems are more complicated than they once were. Whatever brand system you have, it’s important to keep it maintained and in good repair. Skilled, qualified technicians can perform tune-ups and repairs on all brands of heating and cooling equipment. For those living in the triangle area of North Carolina, free consultations can be found at Comfort Services.

The most basic maintenance is changing the air filter. Depending upon the filter you use, it should be changed every one to three months. Check the filter’s packaging for guidelines. If you have children or pets, you may want to replace the filter more often than the manufacturer recommends.

All other maintenance requires a professional. Manufacturers recommend routine maintenance to ensure your system stays in top operating condition. The industry standard for maintenance is every six months.

Regular maintenance can prolong the life of your equipment, keep the system running efficiently to use less energy, prevent breakdowns, and ensure that your system’s warranty coverage remains in place. Regular maintenance can detect problems early so they can be repaired before they become larger, more expensive problems. Maintenance visits include but not limit to: cleaning of system components, diagnostic testing on components, measurements of system Freon levels, and proper condensation drainage verification.

Precision tune-ups of air conditioning systems is highly recommended. This process consists of: measuring volts/amps on motors, checking starting components, measuring for correct airflow, cleaning condenser coil, cleaning condensate drains, measuring temperature difference, adding pan tabs to primary pan in attic, cleaning or replacing filters (if customer has one on site), tightening electrical connections, measuring operation pressures, inspecting air duct for leaks, measuring thermostat temp reading.

Precision tune-ups of heating systems are also crucial. Professionals clean and adjust the burner assembly, clean the ignition assembly, inspect heat exchanger or elements, measure volts/amps, monitor flue draft, monitor starting capabilities, test safety controls, clean or replace filters (if customer has one on site), clean and adjust blower components, tighten electrical connections, test defrost cycle, inspect add duct for leaks, measure (Heat Pump) operation pressures, measure gas pressure, and measure amps (Heat Pump) electric heat strips.

Despite all of these precautionary measures, breakdowns can happen, even in well-maintained equipment. Repair technicians will inspect the system, diagnose the problem, tell you what repairs are needed, and prepare an upfront repair price for you to approve or decline. If it turns out your system needs replacement, our Comfort Consultant can meet with you to measure and evaluate your home and design a system for your needs.

A Comfort Consultation takes between one and two hours, depending upon the size of your home and your questions. In order to customize the best system for you and your family, our consultant will need to: complete a Home Comfort survey covering the preferences of your household, measure and draw your home to gather dimensions for new system designing, evaluate the duct system in the attic, basement or crawlspace, photograph elements of the current system for reference in designing a system, review the home analysis, prepare a free, written estimate and recommendations, analyze potential cost savings from newer, more efficient equipment, discuss costs, financing options, and any special programs, and answer all your questions.

Heating and cooling systems are complex pieces of machinery that need routine maintenance, just like the automobiles that we own. Satisfaction is guaranteed on maintenance and repairs, and spending a little now in maintenance could save you A LOT on repairs in the future. What more could you ask for?