Regardless of the season, an HVAC breakdown is never a welcome event. Can signing up for an annual HVAC service plan really keep your system working all year? Yes, according to Charlotte heating and cooling expert Alan Love of Tier 1 Heating & Air. Annual HVAC preventive maintenance, he says, is an essential part of home ownership. “It’s the best way to ensure continuous, efficient performance,” he says.
Prevent Breakdowns
According to Love, homeowners in Charlotte can benefit greatly from having their HVAC systems serviced on a regular basis, even if those systems seem to be working fine. HVAC components, particularly those that haven’t been used in a while, have the potential to cause trouble once they’re re-started and subjected to near constant use. Pre-season preventive maintenance, Love says, allows your technician to identify and address any minor problems before they can lead to costly breakdowns or failures.
“For example, you have an outdoor condensing unit,” Love says, “that’s been sitting, unused, outside your home for months. Grass clippings, dirt, and debris begin to collect, and that build-up begins to affect the unit’s ability to do its job.” Keeping the condensing coil clean, he says, is one critical element of preventive maintenance.
Many homes in Charlotte, Love says, have HVAC equipment in the attic. Condensation from these units, he explains, must run through a special condensation drain that’s above the home’s ceiling. If that drain becomes clogged or backs up, major water damage could occur. A simple, inexpensive inspection once a year could be all it takes to prevent this potentially expensive problem.
Additionally, Love says, there are several components of an HVAC system that can begin to show signs of failure well in advance of their actual breakdown. “Finding those problems and then replacing those parts early can help to prevent a total system breakdown and can actually help to protect other, related, parts from damage.”
Boost Efficiency
Annual service is also necessary to ensure that your HVAC system is operating at peak efficiency. All too often, Love says, a homeowner’s first indication of an HVAC problem is a series of sky-high utility bills. Although your system may be heating or cooling your home as expected, there are a number of factors that influence how much energy the system requires to do its job. Regular attention from an HVAC professional ensures that efficiency problems are identified early and adjustments are made as necessary to boost performance.
Boosting efficiency can also help to extend the life of your HVAC system. “The more smoothly a system is able to operate, the longer it’s going to last,” Love says. “Having your system inspected, cleaned and adjusted each year will ensure that you get the most out of your investment.”
Get Priority Service
Tier 1’s customers, Love says, also enjoy priority service when they sign an annual service agreement. “This means that no matter what the weather is like, our annual service customers’ repairs come first,” he says. “You never have to put up with a long wait when you’re experiencing an equipment failure.”