As the seasons change and you start switching from heat to cooled air, you might wonder if it’s time to have your HVAC unit inspected. This might be especially true for those who can’t even remember the last time they had a/c inspection services conducted. An inspection allows professionals to take a look at the HVAC unit and ensure that the machinery within is working properly. It’s a preventative measure that can ease potential headaches that you would have likely suffered from later. This article will discuss how often you should have your HVAC unit inspected and the benefits of preventative maintenance services.
How Often?
The first aspect of HVAC maintenance that you need to consider is how often the inspections should be. At the very least, your inspections should occur once a year. For optimal preventative maintenance, however, you should have two inspections conducted. One is typically done in the fall. This is because you’ll be turning the AC to heat in just a few weeks. To ensure that your furnace is ready to be used, an inspection can tell the professional if the parts and furnace are ready to be used.
The other time of the season to have an inspection performed is in the spring. Much like the winter, you’re going to be switching from the heat to the cooling option with your HVAC unit. An inspection can ensure that everything is ready to be used. The moment that you turn the AC on, your house will start to feel cool within just a few minutes. For those who typically don’t turn their AC units on until it’s quite hot, that quick relief cannot be beaten.
Why Should You Have an Inspection?
Are HVAC inspections really worth it? If the unit is going to break, then it’s going to break. All you need to do is have HVAC maintenance services performed, and it’s back to normal. So, what’s the point of an inspection?
The idea behind an HVAC unit inspection is to prevent repairs in the first place. As you likely know, repairs can sometimes be quite costly. If you took the time to have preventative care performed instead, those repair costs may be something that you don’t see for a very long time. Everything typically works better with a little tender love and care. That’s exactly what an inspection is.
Besides just saving you money, an inspection can also ensure that your units are ready to be used as soon as the temperature changes. Perhaps one of the worst situations that you can find yourself in is turning the heat to cool only to realize that the house isn’t cooling down. It could be sweltering hot in the home in no time. You want and expect your HVAC unit to work the moment that you give it a command. An inspection can ensure that it does operate immediately.
It also limits the chance of the unit breaking down during the summer or winter. Professionals can take a look and notice immediately if something looks as though it’s worn and about to give out. Perhaps a gear or band is looking a little worse for wear. Instead of just letting it break as would happen without an inspection, the professional can have the part replaced then and there. In so doing, the unit is sure to work through the hot or cold season without a problem.
What Is Involved in an Inspection?
While each company typically provides individual services according to their company goals, there are a few standards that you can likely expect. One of the areas that professionals will take a look at is your air filter. This filter is responsible for ensuring that contaminants and pollutants don’t make their way into your home. For children and elderly individuals who suffer from allergies or asthma, that air filter can really make their lives a lot more enjoyable. A dirty air filter cannot perform its job as effectively. During the inspection, the professional will take a look at the air filter and either replace it or clean it if is dirty.
Another task that they may perform is cleaning the outdoor and indoor coil. This makes the unit run a lot more efficiently and ensures that the unit continues to have a long lifespan. It can also ensure that the dirt and grime don’t block the drainage which can cause a fire or other problems for the unit.