Almost every no-cool call The HVAC Doc takes in July was preventable in April. Dirty coils, a capacitor reading well below its rating, a clogged drain line and restricted airflow are all findable months before they strand you — during a maintenance visit that costs a fraction of the failure.
A spring cooling tune-up covers washing the condenser coil, checking refrigerant charge and temperature split, testing capacitor microfarads against spec, inspecting the contactor for pitting, clearing and treating the condensate drain, tightening electrical connections, and verifying thermostat calibration and airflow at the return.
The fall heating visit covers burner inspection and cleaning, flame sensor service, heat exchanger inspection, draft and combustion verification, blower cleaning and amp draw, safety-switch testing, a gas pressure check, and a full heat cycle to confirm proper temperature rise. This is also the visit that catches carbon monoxide risks before you close the windows for winter.
Beyond avoiding breakdowns, maintenance keeps efficiency up as energy costs climb, extends equipment life by years, and satisfies the annual-service requirement that most manufacturer warranties quietly depend on. Skip it long enough and a warranty claim can be denied for exactly that reason.
What This Includes
- Spring cooling tune-up with coil cleaning
- Fall heating tune-up with combustion check
- Capacitor, contactor and electrical testing
- Filter service and airflow verification