The heating and cooling experts at Georgia Air adhere to the highest standards and best practices for heating and cooling systems. We perform quality installation, repair, and maintenance of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. We are licensed to perform a wide range of heating and cooling services in Richmond Hill, GA.
We share with our customers the HVAC maintenance checklist that we rely on to ensure consistency and reliability in our HVAC maintenance services. If you call us for HVAC maintenance, our qualified and licensed technicians will arrive with the tools and the experience that they need to complete a thorough inspection, cleaning, and – if necessary – repair of your heating and cooling system.
When should you maintain your HVAC System?
As a general rule, it is essential to check your HVAC system at least once a year, if not twice a year. Ideally, it is best to have regular maintenance done on the air conditioning in the spring to prepare for the summer and the heating system in the fall to prepare for the winter.
HVAC systems are more complex. The two systems are integrated and share necessary ductwork. This means that the spring HVAC maintenance checklist and the fall HVAC maintenance checklist overlap to some extent.
Why Is It Important to Have an HVAC Maintenance Checklist?
The HVAC system contains many elements that could fail or degrade over a year. Suppose a maintenance technician overlooks an integral part of the HVAC system or does not check it thoroughly. In that case, the part could fail at a critical point, leading to potential health issues, burst pipes, and unpleasant living conditions until an air conditioning repair technician can come back to fix the problem.
At Georgia Air, we put our customers first. Our goal for every repair or service call is to provide our customers with a heating and cooling system that will last for years to come.
What Factors Determine the Contents of an HVAC Maintenance List?
The overall goal of HVAC maintenance is essentially the same for every service call:
● arrive promptly
● clean and inspect important HVAC components
● repair any faults that the technician uncovers
● provide excellent customer service
Within that framework, different maintenance jobs call for other methods. Larger HVAC systems with more powerful heating and air conditioning units sometimes require different maintenance procedures. Older units might require additional maintenance and inspection steps to catch problems that sometimes emerge in older units.
If you live in an area with recent tropical storms, have experienced heatwaves, or have experienced any other events that might put the HVAC unit at risk for damage or excessive wear, we will look for telltale signs of storm damage, mold, and worn-out parts.
Do You Have Different Checklists for Spring and Fall?
Typically, we receive service calls in the spring and autumn months, but we often get emergency calls during times of peak usage. In those situations, we are more likely to focus on the actively failing system and restore it as quickly as possible. If somebody asks for routine maintenance of both systems, for example–if they just purchased a house and wanted it inspected–we would typically inspect and maintain the heating and cooling systems.
We typically adhere to a spring checklist that focuses on cooling and a fall checklist that focuses on heating for regular maintenance. We developed these checklists to ensure consistency in our service and the best possible outcome for our customers.
Our 54-point HVAC maintenance checklist demonstrates our commitment to the safety and the peace of mind of our customers. We want every customer to visualize what we offer through our maintenance plans, including our PeachCare Club.
Preparing for the Summer
Our summer HVAC maintenance checklist focuses on the air conditioning and includes maintenance work on the ductwork and the overall HVAC system. With our maintenance plan, you can count on cool air and high air quality all summer long.
Cleaning Filters
The air conditioning system depends on filters to trap dust, dirt, pollen, and anything else that might get into the air and reduce air quality. Our technicians will vacuum up any dust and small debris. If the filters are filthy, we may do a deeper chemical wash.
Checking the Ductwork
The ductwork is not typically visible, but it is vital for the movement of climate-controlled air throughout your home. During servicing, your technician will inspect the entire length of your ductwork for leaks or obstructions.
Clearing Debris
The technician will carefully check the outdoor unit for leaves and other debris interfering with airflow around the HVAC unit. Together with cleaning the air filter, the ductwork, and condensate drains, this ensures that your HVAC system can cool air efficiently and deliver it to the rooms of your home.
Inspecting for Mold, Insects, and Animals
We will check for evidence of mold, insect, nests, and animal habitation that could block ductwork, damage wiring, or disrupt airflow.
Maintaining the Thermostat
Suppose the thermostat is not accurately reading the indoor temperature or communicating with the rest of the HVAC system. In that case, you might lose heating or cooling or have the system behave unpredictably. The technician will calibrate the thermostat against a standard to ensure it is accurate and check the electrical connections between the thermostat and other parts of the HVAC system.
Maintaining the Electrical System
Electrical failures are one cause of HVAC system failure. Our technicians will look for signs of cut wires, frayed wires, or corrosion. We’ll restore connections so that your HVAC system can work as an integrated unit without problems.
Checking the Fan and Blower Motor
The motor and fan blades are essential for conveying cool air through the ductwork for your house. We’ll make sure that the fan and blower are in working order.
Checking the Integrity of the HVAC Cabinet
The HVAC cabinet that encloses the air conditioner is critical to protect the air conditioner from the elements. The technician will check the cabinet for any signs of damage. We also check the evaporator coil in the indoor AC unit.
Turning on the Furnace Humidifier
The furnace won’t need the humidifier during the summer, so the technician will set it to “summer mode” to conserve water.
Clean Up
After every service call, our technicians are diligent in tidying up to minimize any disruption that our work has caused.
Preparing for the Winter
The winter tasks are primarily to prepare the HVAC system for the winter, which involves winterizing the AC system and checking the readiness of the furnace. The winter HVAC maintenance checklist below is for a gas furnace forced-air system and would be different for electric furnaces and heat pumps.
Replacing the Filter
Our first talk in a fall cleanup is to check whether anyone has replaced the filter in the past 30-90 days. A clean filter allows better airflow through the ductwork.
Checking the Burner and Combustion Chamber
We will inspect the pilot light, burner, and combustion chamber thoroughly. We will light the pilot light and make sure that it burns well. We will check all safety components that are part of your HVAC system. They protect you and your family from harm if the furnace develops a dangerous fault.
Checking the Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is one of the essential parts of the heating system. The heat exchanger allows the hot air from the furnace to heat the air destined for your house’s rooms while keeping the house air and flue air separate. This prevents dangerous chemicals from entering your home and reducing air quality. The technician will check the heat exchanger for any warping or leaks and make repairs as needed.
Checking the Flue
The flue allows the flue gasses from the combustion chamber to dissipate outside. The technician will check the integrity of the flue, ensure there are no leaks, and look for a secure, airtight connection between the flue and the furnace.
Turning on the Furnace Humidifier
During the winter, the air can dry out. The furnace humidifier counteracts that. It is unnecessary for the humidifier to be on during the summer, so service technicians usually turn off the humidifier in the spring and on again in the fall.
Check and Lubricate any Moving Parts
Any fan blades, belts, motors, and other moving parts can wear out and degrade. Our maintenance program will go through each part of the HVAC system and make sure that they are in working order. If we find any problems, we will discuss them with you and work out a repair plan.
As with our summer HVAC maintenance checklist, the winter checklist ends with a thorough cleanup.
Schedule Maintenance with Georgia Air Today
At Georgia Air, we want our customers to understand our HVAC maintenance checklist and trust our maintenance process. Call us at 912.513.3756 to learn more about HVAC maintenance and discuss our HVAC maintenance plans. Get two annual maintenance visits and many other benefits through our PeachCare Club.