Heating and AC maintenance for Danville homes
Danville's long, humid cooling season is hard on air conditioners and heat pumps. A little maintenance goes a long way toward avoiding a breakdown on the hottest day of the year.
What you can do yourself
- Change the filter. Check it monthly during heavy use and replace it when it's dirty. Follow your system's recommendation for size and type.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear. About two feet of open space around it, with no grass clippings blown onto the coil and no shrubs crowding it.
- Keep supply and return vents open and unblocked by furniture or rugs.
- Flush the condensate drain if your system has an access port, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Test your carbon monoxide alarms if you have any fuel-burning appliances.
- Listen and look. New noises, ice on lines, water around the indoor unit or rising energy bills are worth a call before they become a breakdown.
What a professional tune-up should include
Cooling (spring):
- Inspect and clean the outdoor and indoor coils as needed
- Check refrigerant operating pressures and temperatures
- Test capacitors, contactors and electrical connections
- Clear the condensate drain and check the pan
- Check blower operation and airflow
- Verify thermostat operation
Heating (fall):
- Gas furnaces: inspect burners, ignition and flame sensor; check the heat exchanger for cracks; test safety controls; check venting
- Heat pumps: test defrost operation, reversing valve and backup heat strips
- Test carbon monoxide levels where appropriate
Ask for a written checklist of what was done and found. A tune-up should leave you with information, not just a sticker.
Maintenance plans
Many contractors offer yearly plans with spring and fall visits. They can be worth it, especially for older systems, but compare what's included: visits per year, discounts on repairs, priority scheduling and cancellation terms.