While many of our customers understand the basics of HVAC Maintenance, some are unfamiliar with what ControlAir Systems’ maintenance plans include and ask why they are so important. Some customers even ask us “Is HVAC Maintenance worth the money?” Today, we want to explain in further detail what separates our maintenance plan from others, and walk you through what a typical HVAC maintenance visit consists of. Hint: it’s a lot more than changing dirty filters.

First, we’ll cover the basics of our program. If you have a maintenance plan with ControlAir Systems, you will receive a customized maintenance schedule, as well as reminders of when your maintenance is due to ensure that you never fall behind. In addition, our maintenance customers receive preferential scheduling, moving you to the front of the line if you need repairs on your heating or air conditioning equipment. This means you will be taken care of as quickly as possible, without needing to be schedule out days in the future.

In addition, our maintenance plan customers receive a 10% discount off all quoted repair work, as well as a 10% discount on all parts. Finally, all of your equipment is logged in our system and tracked to ensure that we can monitor the performance and expected life span of your equipment. The data we track also includes the unit make, model & age, as well as repairs that have been performed in the past. We also log diagnostic data from previous visits, allowing our technicians to diagnose and resolve any problems as quickly and efficiently as possible.

With the basics of our plan covered, we can now dive further into the specifics of what we’re doing during our HVAC maintenance visits. Again, we will start with the basics.

The two most basic maintenance items are 1) regularly scheduled filter changes, and 2) condenser & evaporator coil cleaning. Both of these tasks ensure that you are getting proper air flow in your system, allowing the equipment to work as it is designed. Without the proper air flow, you can run into a number of issues such as insufficient air flow to your home or building, your compressor freezing over, or your equipment’s safety limits tripping, causing your system to shut down. If your system is belt-driven, we will also monitor & replace belts as they begin to get cracked and worn. If belt replacements aren’t performed regularly, your belt will ultimately break which unfortunately prevents the system from providing any air flow to the space.

The tasks mentioned above are the ones that most home and building owners are familiar with, but our HVAC maintenance work doesn’t stop there. In addition to these tasks, our technicians check the amperages & voltages of your blower motor, condenser fan motor and compressor to ensure that there are no signs of strain or upcoming issues. If a motor or compressor is over-amping, our technicians are trained to determine why this is happening, and alleviate the problem to prevent future issues. Our technicians also verify that all electrical connections are tightened to prevent avoidable service calls, and clear all condensate lines to protect against future leaks.

If we are entering heating season, we will review your heat exchanger to ensure that no holes or cracks have formed, preventing a dangerous situation where combustion gasses can enter your home or business. If we are getting into cooling season, our technicians will check the refrigerant pressures on your system to ensure that there are no leaks present, and no restrictions in your refrigeration lines. Finally, our technicians will confirm that your thermostat is communicating properly with the equipment, and ensure that you are informed of any potential issues, or changes that were made.

Our list of maintenance tasks continues as we get into larger and more industrial equipment, but this general overview provides a deeper look and answers the question “What does HVAC Maintenance include?” If you are interested in receiving a quote for HVAC Maintenance, or would like to learn more about our commercial HVAC maintenance plans, please contact us today at (781) 365-0222!