Preventive maintenance for heating and air conditioning equipment is much more important than it used to be due to its increased sophistication. A heating or A/C tune-up is similar to the tune-up on your car. If you don’t tune it up, sooner or later it will become inoperable. This is a definite inconvenience and can happen to your furnace or air conditioning unit without the proper maintenance.
Tune-ups should consist of the following steps taken by a trained professional:
- Safety inspection
- Complete visual inspection
- Operational assessment
- System cleaning and standard air filter replacement
- Gas or oil pressure and pilot light adjustments (for heating equipment)
If you’re considering replacing your heating or cooling system, you must first consider any limitations that may be created by the system you currently own. The first step is to maximize the energy efficiency of your home. A system can often be too small or too big to accommodate your cooling or heating needs. It’s also important to consider any passive solar heating in your home to determine the need for additional ventilation that could keep your home cool in warm weather.
It’s important to note that you can easily lose money if your system is installed incorrectly or improperly adjusted (even the most energy efficient equipment).
Here are some following tips from the U.S. Department of Energy regarding choosing a contractor wisely:
- Ask neighbors and friends if they have worked with a contractor they would recommend
- Focus on local companies
- Look for licensed, insured contractors
- Ask about previous experience
- Check references
- Inquire with the Better Business Bureau