California's long cooling season and mild but real winters make twice-a-year HVAC maintenance the best money a homeowner can spend on comfort. Here is what happens at each visit and what you can handle yourself.
Homeowner tasks, any month
- Replace the air filter every 60 to 90 days, monthly with pets or dust.
- Keep two feet of clearance around the outdoor unit and hose off the coil gently.
- Keep supply and return vents open and unblocked.
- Check the condensate drain line for standing water or algae.
Spring: the AC tune-up
A professional AC tune-up checks refrigerant charge, tests the capacitor and contactor under load, measures compressor and fan amperage, cleans the condenser coil, flushes the drain, inspects the blower and calibrates the thermostat. It catches the weak capacitor that would otherwise fail on the first 100-degree day.
Fall: the furnace tune-up
Furnace service cleans the burners and flame sensor, tests the igniter, inspects the heat exchanger for cracks, tests every safety switch, checks the venting and runs a combustion test. It is the only way to know the furnace is heating safely.
Heat pumps and ductless
Heat pumps need both visits, with extra attention to the defrost cycle and reversing valve. Ductless units need blower wheel and coil cleaning each year. See HVAC service plans.
The payoff
Maintained systems use 10 to 25 percent less energy, break down far less often and last years longer. A maintenance plan also puts you first in line during heat waves. Schedule at (855) 459-5498 or find HVAC service in your city.