Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are imperative to your home and your family’s comfort. Think of them like the heart and veins of your home. Like moving blood through your body, HVAC systems move heated and cooled air throughout your home or business.
Contained under the umbrella of HVAC are the cooling unit, the heating unit, and the ducts. Also found in this title are air purifiers, heat pumps, control systems, humidifiers, and smart thermostats.
Just like exercise and a proper diet maintain your heart health, regular HVAC system maintenance ensures peak performance. For your family, this translates to not losing AC during a sticky summer’s day or heat during a Pennsylvania snowstorm.
Benefits of HVAC maintenance
Ideally, HVAC systems work in the background without much thought, so it is up to you to remember to take care of the system before a costly breakdown. Much like we need to ensure our heart is in its optimal shape, you should do the same for your home. Without the time for maintenance, you set yourself up for a costly and inconvenient breakdown.
Improved Energy Efficiency
A heart has to work harder when it’s not maintained, as does your HVAC system. When your system is in poor condition, it requires more energy to heat or cool your home. This additional strain can be due to something as simple as dirty air filters to clogged ducts.
When your HVAC system is serviced regularly, it can run more efficiently. Skilled and trained technicians inspect and clean your system while identifying issues that could cause an overuse of energy.
Lower Utility Bills
As expected, if your system works harder to cool or heat the air to the same comfortable temperature, it is reflected in your energy bill. To keep your utility bill low, preventative maintenance is necessary. This scheduled check-up ensures your system performs at a maximum level and remains in peak condition.
Increased Lifespan of your HVAC System
Not caring for your heart leads to issues later in life; the same applies to your HVAC system. Arguably, this is the most expensive purchase in your home, so it’s logical to ensure it runs as long as possible.
With regular preventative maintenance, most issues can be fixed as soon as they are detected. The problem becomes when you don’t service your HVAC system regularly. Then, minor issues balloon into significant problems, overworking and wearing down your system sooner.
Our technicians inspect your system for current and potential problems. They are versed in what everyday wear-and-tear looks like, what is problematic, and what could lead to a major breakdown.
Prevent Costly Breakdowns
Preventative and regular maintenance of your HVAC system reduces the risk of breakdowns.
Deterioration happens. No HVAC system lasts indefinitely, but you can minimize an unwelcomed surprise on the hottest day in the summer. By checking in on your system, you can foresee any issues and fix them before they occur.
Improved Air Quality
The entire function of an HVAC system is to move air throughout your home. In doing so, it removes dust, allergens, and more. This process is thanks to the air filter and your system’s effectiveness in moving the air. In addition, technicians utilize UV light and cleaning to ensure your indoor evaporator coil is not home to bacteria and mold.
Indoor air holds more irritants than outside, and since we spend so much time indoors, it is crucial to keep viral irritants at bay. Schedule regular maintenance to help your family avoid pollutants that cause headaches, asthma, and lung irritation.
Improved Comfort
Air cannot effectively move when systems lag or ducts clog. By focusing on regular maintenance, your system removes roadblocks in air movement. This means warm and cold air is more likely to be delivered still in ideal temperatures, giving you a more comfortable setting.
Common HVAC maintenance tasks
During regular preventative maintenance, you should expect a handful of common HVAC maintenance tasks completed. While you could complete some of these on your own, most require a skilled technician to ensure there are no issues along the way.
Filter Replacement
Air filter replacement is one of the most common tasks homeowners tackle without the help of a technician. There is solid reasoning for abiding by the advice of changing your air filter monthly.
By consistently changing your filter, you ensure the fibers of a clean filter catch dust and dirt versus being blown throughout your home. Furthermore, your system does not work harder than it needs to – thus extending the life of your HVAC system.
Cleaning and Inspecting the System
During an inspection, technicians look for potential problems. From electrical connections to leaking seals, they inspect your HVAC system to ensure it works as best it can.
Refrigerant levels are verified or thermostats are set. Techs inspect the coils to ensure airflow is adequate for your home’s needs. Loose debris both inside and outside the home is cleared from around the unit, and dust buildup on the blower is removed. Bands and electrical components are checked for wear-and-tear, and circuits, safety controls, drain lines, condensate pumps, caps, and valves are inspected. Finally, your duct work is examined to ensure even airflow and no obstructions.
Lubrication of Moving Parts
While the technician cleans and inspects your unit, he will look for any moving parts needing lubrication. By ensuring proper lubrication of your HVAC system, friction is minimized, reducing potential breakdowns and energy used.
Electrical Checks
During the electrical check, our technicians identify connections that need to be tightened. They also measure voltage drops and examine other electrical elements. Ensuring all electrical components are in proper working condition lengthens the components’ life and keeps operations safe.
Refrigerant Level Checks
When your refrigerant levels are low, your AC may be noisy, your bills could be higher, your vents may blow warm air, and you could see ice on your unit. These are all signs something is off with your refrigerant level. Without refrigerant, your AC cannot keep your home cool. Our technicians will check this level and if it is low, adjust it.
How often should HVAC maintenance be performed
A yearly HVAC preventative maintenance check keeps your system in optimal condition. This yearly maintenance includes an inspection, cleaning, servicing, and potential problem identification.
The best schedule for maintenance is to have your heating unit serviced in the fall and air conditioning unit serviced in the spring. This schedule ensures your unit is in tip top shape for the upcoming high-demand season.
HVAC maintenance costs
HVAC maintenance costs vary greatly depending on the needs of your unit. The type of maintenance affects the price of your service. These are the following categories of services offered by most HVAC companies:
- Preventative maintenance – a routine check-up with no issues
- Proactive maintenance – service when an issue has been identified but fixed before system failure
- Reactive maintenance – service necessary when a component or unit has broken down
- Emergency service – an unscheduled, emergency service performed such as AC failure during a heat wave
Leckron’s has numerous HVAC maintenance plans available for our customers to ensure the best and most affordable service.
Hiring a professional HVAC maintenance service
Deciding to hire a professional can be a straightforward one. Many of the services HVAC technicians perform cannot be completed by the everyday person. For example, while you may be able to change your furnace filter, you likely won’t be able to check refill refrigerants or know the signs of a compromised electrical component.
Benefits of hiring a professional
Perhaps the most obvious reason to hire an HVAC technician is that a professional knows what to look for and how to fix it. Instead of trial and error, they can quickly identify the problem and supply the solution.
And it’s not only time they will save you! Because they know the issues, they know how to fix it. This knowledge translates to not purchasing unneeded parts and materials in an attempt to guess-and-check in diagnosing issues.
Furthermore, as this is their business, they know where to get the best savings in parts. They may even have bulk-ordered parts at their warehouse, saving you material costs.
What to look for in a maintenance service
When selecting a maintenance service, there are certain aspects you want to make sure are included. Ensure your maintenance service includes these components:
- Affordable Pricing: reasonable rates and specials
- AC Service and Maintenance: ductless or traditional, repairs or new systems
- Furnace Service and Maintenance: from installation to maintenance
- Emergency Service: for those “oh-no” moments that sneak up on you
- Product Protections: warranties and insurance coverage
- Plan Options: financing, pay-as-you-go, and yearly contracts are all examples
Leckron’s: your solution to HVAC maintenance
Having an HVAC company that you trust is an understated necessity for homeowners. From advantages such as clean air and comfort in each room of your house, down to the cost savings, partnering with a reputable company is a sound decision… not to mention one that will pay you back in the life of your unit.
With Leckron’s, our technicians are trained to inspect HVAC systems. They troubleshoot as they service the unit, discussing any issues with you and helping navigate various financing options.
“0% financing was what brought us in. After getting our quote, we were sure we made the right decision. The person that did the quote was friendly, personable and honest about what we needed. The people that did the install were on time and did the job in a timely manner. We’re so very pleased with our services and will be sure to recommend to anyone looking!” – Emily S.
With various maintenance plans, nothing stands in the way of ensuring your HVAC system can withstand the strain of a household. Leckron’s is your Pennsylvanian option to provide warm and cool air to your home, while decreasing risks of airborne irritants.
Just like it’s never too late to start an exercise program for your heart-health, it’s always a good time to sign up for regular preventative maintenance for your HVAC system. We are ready to help you, no matter how long it’s been since your last service.
Contact us today to get started!
