HVAC inspections are highly recommended when the seasons change, but they’re a smart decision no matter what time of year it is. These appointments are really the best line of defense for any property owner who wants to be prepared for whatever lies ahead.
A good HVAC inspector will do more than look at the state of your appliances as they are. An experienced technician also makes predictions about what will happen after those appliances are stressed by severe weather. When the temperatures soar or plummet, all the extra usage and daily demands can make for a weakened system.
The last thing you need is to have your equipment malfunction during a storm or spell. At Winter’s Heating and Air Conditioning, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, we want you to be ready for anything. Learn more about what an inspection entails and why you need one.
Efficient Equipment
First and foremost, you need your equipment to work during the seasons. If you had to choose, a poorly running air conditioner would be better than no air conditioner at all. However, when your equipment begins to break down, this means it’s costing you more in utility bills. It also means that it is likely to break down entirely when you need it the most.
You don’t want a proverbial loose cannon on your property, which is why an HVAC inspector will look at all the equipment and ensure it’s in tip-top shape. A licensed contractor can eliminate the chances of your having to call an emergency service in the middle of the night if your HVAC fails.
What seems unavoidable to a homeowner will look very different to a technician. They are trained to spot small issues before they turn into much bigger problems.
Technicians will also check for any air loss, making it easier to weather strip and caulk in the areas that need it the most. It could be as simple as buying new curtains to keep your home comfortable during the more extreme months.
What’s Included in an HVAC Inspection?
The actual list of services will vary depending on the company you choose. However, you can generally expect a technician to check the voltage, filter, and condensate drain to get an idea of how your system works. Electrical failures, filthy filters, and clogged drains are all red flags for a technician.
So even if just one of your fuses is mildly faulty and only cuts out in the summer months, a technician will test it to see if it needs to be replaced. A technician will check the components of your appliances as well, potentially lubricating moving parts as they go. They’ll look at the blower and determine how it’s interacting with the rest of the system. Technicians will inspect safety controls, test the defrost cycle on your heat pump, and assess the pressure of your refrigerant.
How Often Should I Get an HVAC Inspection?
You might be asking how long you can go between inspections. Ideally, you should be getting an HVAC inspection every year. Even if your home is fairly new, it’s an active way to keep costly repairs at bay and ensure that you’re not overpaying for your utility bills. Plus, inspections give homeowners more peace of mind. You’ll feel confident if you need to adjust the thermostat for weekend guests because you know your system can handle it.
There are too many homeowners who fall into a kind of complacency when it comes to their HVAC equipment. If they need to replace their air conditioner earlier than the manufacturer intended, they might think it was an inevitability. They might even blame the manufacturer. However, an inspection might have revealed a simple (and cost-effective) fix that would have kept the air conditioner working for at least another five years.
Can You Schedule a Regular Home Inspection Instead?
If you’re wondering if an HVAC inspection is worth the cost, you might also be asking yourself if you can just get a standard home inspection. After all, the home inspector will look at your HVAC equipment along with the rest of the home. Theoretically, you get all the information you need without having to bring in multiple people.
While this is a valid point, it’s also ignoring the expertise of a great HVAC technician. A home inspector will evaluate the state of your equipment, but an HVAC inspector will do a much more in-depth investigation.
A trained professional will be exceptionally thorough. They’ll look at more than just the machinery on the property. They’ll assess its functionality in context with how it’s used and how the property is configured. For instance, a short-term rental property that hosts multiple guests throughout the month may have different needs than a family that always leaves the thermostat at one setting.
A home inspector will have some degree of experience when it comes to spotting the major problems, but they usually can’t dive into the details the way an HVAC inspector can.
Should You Be Involved?
From the electrical connections to the gas piping, it can help a property owner to accompany an HVAC inspector. At Winter’s Heating and Air Conditioning, we certainly don’t recommend you do the actual inspection yourself, but spending time with a trained technician can be the key to understanding your property on a different level.
One of the most important (and sometimes overlooked) components of your HVAC system is the filter. It’s easy to check and change of course, but it can also tell the homeowner more about how their appliances are working. For instance, if the filter turns black after three months when it used to last for six (and there have been no other changes to the home), it likely means that your once functional HVAC equipment is struggling to keep up with the same workload.
When parts wear down and blockages occur, regular maintenance goes a long way to prevent unnecessary hassle. Instead of having to make constant repairs or even costly replacements, a technician may be able to just make a few quick adjustments. Plus, they can tell you how to make many of those same easy adjustments whenever you need them.
Schedule a Tune-Up
When you want to extend the life of your equipment and reduce your operating costs at the same time, Winter’s Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. To schedule a maintenance tune-up with us, just give us a call at 223-227-4328 and tell us more about your property and HVAC needs. We’re here to make your heating and cooling as efficient as possible.
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