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March 15, 2023HVAC maintenance is a critical part of keeping your heating and air conditioning working effectively and reducing both your utility and repair costs. Ideally, you have two maintenance visits a year, one in the spring for your AC and one in the fall for your heating. Use this checklist as a guide for what to expect when you hire a company like Bruce Heating & Air Conditioning for your routine HVAC maintenance.
Air Filter Inspection
Keeping air flowing through your system and around your home is critical to effective heating and cooling. Your technician will inspect your air filter and will let you know if it’s time for a replacement. A new air filter is not commonly included with standard HVAC maintenance.
Visual Inspection
Before getting into the internal components of your system, it’s important to visually inspect the exterior. Excessive corrosion on the system housing indicates excessive moisture, which will translate into additional wear to your system’s interior components.
Circulating Fan Cleaning, Testing, and Tuning
Both your air conditioning and heating rely on the circulating fan to move air through the system and back into your home. The fan commonly collects substantial airborne contaminants, reducing the amount of air it moves. Your technician will clean it and then test it to ensure that it’s still spinning at the proper speed to effectively move air. They’ll also check to see if it needs balancing to prevent unusual strain on the motor spindle. Finally, the tech will lubricate the fan motor if it isn’t a sealed motor.
AC Coil Inspection and Cleaning
For your air conditioning, the condition of both the evaporator and condensing coils is critical to its function. Your tech will inspect the coils for damage and will also clean both to ensure they can pass sufficient air to allow proper heat transfer.
AC Refrigerant Check
Your air conditioning depends on having the right amount of refrigerant to absorb and vent heat properly. Your tech will check the refrigerant level in the system to ensure it has an optimal amount. Insufficient refrigerant indicates some kind of leak that will need detection and sealing.
AC Compressor Testing and Inspection
The compressor is the most critical mechanical component, acting as the refrigerant pump and compressing it to vent heat. Your technician will visually inspect the compressor and test it to ensure that it’s activating at the right time and building the proper pressure. If there’s a problem with the compressor, your tech will help you evaluate whether it’s time to consider a new system versus repairing it.
Heat Exchanger Inspection and Cleaning
Your heating system uses a heat exchanger to transfer the heat to the air moving through the system. This is another place where airborne contaminants commonly collect, so your technician will clean it. They’ll also inspect it to ensure that it isn’t cracked, which can lead to carbon monoxide leaks in gas furnaces.
Burner Cleaning and Adjusting
Inside the combustion chamber, the burner will become dirty from the byproduct of burning fuel. Your technician will clean the burner and also check to ensure the flame is at the optimal level. They’ll adjust the gas regulator if it’s outside the optimal level.
Mounting Hardware Inspection
Your entire system vibrates as it runs, which causes mounting hardware to loosen over time. Your technician will check the hardware and tighten it if needed to prevent excessive movement and wear.
Electrical Testing and Tightening
Your system only runs as well as the electrical signals it sends through the control systems. Your technician will test for appropriate signal strength through the system. They’ll also ensure that electrical connections are tight.
Cycle Testing
Before wrapping up, they’ll test the full heating or cooling cycle. The goal is to ensure that every part of the cycle initializes at the appropriate time and without any issues. If the technician finds a problem with the cycling process, they’ll diagnose the underlying problem. You then have the opportunity to fix the issue before it substantially strains the entire system, raising your utility costs and causing excessive wear while running.
Bruce Heating & Air Conditioning has kept homes in the greater Hermiston area comfortable for more than 30 years. Our seasoned team offers heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair, and installation together with indoor air quality, heat pump, and hydronic heating services. Call to schedule your HVAC maintenance appointment with one of our expert technicians today.