Preventive HVAC Maintenance: Common Steps to Know

When it comes to your home’s HVAC system (and other similar systems), there are two general forms of care: Preventive and reactive. And while one can never entirely predict the future, and therefore the latter can’t be entirely eliminated even with the greatest care, one of the primary goals of professional HVAC experts is to carry out most of your care in the former area — keeping your system running at all times while also limiting your costs.

At Accurate Air, we’re no exception. Some of our most common services are in areas like AC and furnace maintenance and tune-ups, the type that allow us to identify minor issues before they grow into larger, costlier problems. What’s involved in standard preventive HVAC maintenance, and why is this process so valuable for home and business owners everywhere? This two-part blog series will go over everything you need to know.

What Happens During Preventive Maintenance Appointments?

When you call on our team for HVAC maintenance, there are several areas we’ll likely take care of for you. While the precise actions we carry out will depend somewhat on your exact HVAC components and their age/quality, here are a few of the standard elements of most such appointments:

• Lubrication of moving parts: Almost all parts of your system that are designed to move will be oiled at this point, especially since this creates a protective layer that helps the oil last longer.
• Filter/Air purifier inspection: Filters (especially) and air purifiers need to be examined regularly for damage or clogs, as these can reduce airflow or slow down the unit’s operation. There will also be a check for signs of mold and mildew growth, as these can result in the development of more serious system problems over time.
• Condensate drain cleaning/inspection: The condensate drains of the system will be cleaned thoroughly, removing any mineral or other residue that’s built up. This can help cut down on odors, keep mold from growing near the drain, and reduce the chance of blockages in the future.
• Checking refrigerant: Nearly all units have a refrigerant level that should be checked from time to time. At Accurate Air, we can run diagnostics to determine whether any refrigerant is low and if so, add a small amount to restore the appropriate level.

Our next several sections will go over why these services are so valuable for home and building owners.

Avoiding Unexpected Repairs

The first and likely largest benefit of regular preventive HVAC maintenance is the way it helps you avoid surprise repairs. Just like preventive car maintenance can help you avoid the need to pay for a sudden new engine, so too will proper HVAC maintenance carry out several inspections and tune-ups each year that result in early detection of problems.

There are many different types of system issues that may crop up, but most have noticeable symptoms before they become major problems. For example, let’s say your heat pump starts making an odd noise during use — another sign of possible trouble is if it begins blowing cold air, even when the thermostat has been set to a warm temperature. Either case is likely the result of some small problem that would be noticed in our initial diagnostic process and addressed before becoming larger.

The same is true for your AC system, furnace, or any other part of your HVAC system that’s regularly maintained by our team. A thorough check each year can reduce the risk of major repairs dramatically, resulting in far fewer costly visits from us over time.

Part two of our series will go over further benefits here. For more on this or any of our heating and cooling services, speak to the staff at Accurate Air today.