HVAC TUNE UP INFORMATION

HomeBuying GuideHVAC Tune Up Information

Importance of HVAC System Maintenance and Replacement

Consider this: There was a person who owned a nice Chrysler Sebring convertible. The oil light had stopped working. Without this prompt, the owner neglected to put oil in the car. Everything went fine for awhile. Then, while traveling on an expressway near Chicago, the engine seized up. It had to be replaced to the tune of $3,500. All for the lack of spending maybe $50 or $60 per year for oil to keep the engine running. That’s all it would have taken to avoid the engine seizure.

Think of your HVAC unit the same way. You don’t want to replace your furnace, heat pump or central air conditioner. Average cost varies widely but it is probably in the neighborhood of about $2,500 to $15,000 depending on the size of your home.

Also consider that the federal government estimates that the average homeowner spends more than $10,000 heating and cooling a house over a 10-year period.

Finally, you want your unit to provide 15 to 20 years of safe indoor comfort. The only way to do that is to have system maintenance or a tune-up performed at least annually. With a cost anywhere between $75 and $150, it is well worth the price.

Why?

A heating and air conditioning system tune-up delivers three major benefits to your home and hearth—Home Safety, Peak Year Around System Performance, Reduced Heating and Air Conditioning Costs.

Home Safety

Your furnace produces carbon monoxide every time it runs. That’s because carbon monoxide is a by-product of burning oil or gas. Normally, the levels are low. Plus, the carbon monoxide typically vents through a pipe to the outside of your home. However, even low levels that escape into your home are a threat and gas leaks happen. A yearly tune up will expose any leaks.

Peak Year-Around Performance

With preventative system maintenance as part of your HVAC services, you can be assured that your system will operate as efficiently as possible. That’s because the process includes a thorough inspection of the entire unit including inspecting (if necessary) the following:

  • All Safety Controls
  • The Heat Exchanger
  • Burners and Pilot Assembly
  • Gas Leaks
  • Flue Pipe and Draft
  • Proper Temperature Rise
  • Lubrication for all Moving Parts
  • Air Filters
  • Fan Control
  • Carbon Monoxide Levels
  • Condensate Trap
  • Complete Heat Cycle
  • Electrical Elements
  • Blower, Motor and Condenser Coil Bearings
  • Operation Pressures of Refrigerant (if any)
  • Service Valves
  • Safety Devices for Proper Operation
  • Disconnect Box for Proper Rating and Installation
  • Exposed Wiring and Capacitors
  • Contactors for Burned, Pitted Contacts
  • Ductwork
  • Thermostat
  • Fan Blade
  • Compressor
  • Temperature Differences

All of these (usually 30 or more separate inspections) will be accompanied by any cleaning, testing, monitoring or replacing that is needed.

Reduced Heating and Air Conditioning Costs

The idea is to make your heating and air conditioning unit operate as safely and efficiently as possible. This means your heating and cooling bills will be as low as they can be. All this for less than 50 cents a day. You cannot afford not to consider a yearly heating and cooling system tune-up!

 

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