HVAC maintenance in Pennsylvania

Maintenance has a bad reputation because it is sold badly — a quick filter change and a sticker on the unit. A real tune-up is a test of the things that fail, done before the season that will fail them.

What a heating tune-up actually covers

• Burner inspection and cleaning, and flame pattern check.
• Flame sensor cleaned and its signal measured — the single most common cause of mid-winter no-heat calls.
• Igniter checked, and its resistance measured against specification, which is how you catch one about to fail rather than one already failed.
• Heat exchanger inspected for cracking or corrosion.
• Draft and venting checked, including the outdoor termination.
• Gas pressure measured at the appliance, and combustion analysed.
• Safety controls tested: limit switches, pressure switches, rollout switches, and the low-water cutoff on a steam boiler.
• Blower wheel and motor checked, amp draw measured, capacitor tested.
• Filter replaced or specified.
• On boilers: system pressure, expansion tank condition, circulator operation, zone valves, and air in the loop.
• On oil systems: nozzle, electrodes, filter, pump pressure and draft.

What a cooling tune-up actually covers

• Condenser coil cleaned — the single biggest practical efficiency item, and badly neglected in houses surrounded by trees or cottonwood.
• Evaporator coil and condensate drain checked and cleared, with the overflow switch tested.
• Refrigerant performance checked by measuring the system's operating conditions rather than simply adding refrigerant.
• Run capacitor tested under load — the most common summer failure, and one that is cheap to pre-empt.
• Contactor inspected for pitting.
• Electrical connections checked and tightened, amp draws measured.
• Airflow and temperature split measured across the coil.
• Thermostat operation and staging confirmed.

Why it pays in this climate

Three reasons, in order of how much they actually matter:

1. It prevents the failures that happen at the worst time. Ignition components, capacitors and contactors fail under load. Load arrives on the coldest and hottest days of the year, which is exactly when everyone else is also calling.
2. It keeps efficiency where you paid for it. A fouled condenser coil or a restricted filter costs real money every month, quietly.
3. It protects your warranty. Most manufacturers require documented annual maintenance for warranty claims. Homeowners find this out at the worst possible moment.

Carbon monoxide and combustion safety

This is the part of maintenance that is not about money. Any fuel-burning furnace, boiler or water heater can produce carbon monoxide when combustion or venting goes wrong, and the failure is invisible and odourless. Combustion analysis and a venting check on every fuel-burning appliance in the space is part of a proper heating service. If you do not have working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the house, fit them regardless of who services your equipment.

What you can do between visits

• Check the filter monthly. Change a one-inch filter every one to three months; thicker media filters generally run six to twelve.
• Keep two feet clear around the outdoor unit, and keep it clear of snow in winter if you have a heat pump.
• Do not close supply registers to redirect heat. It raises static pressure and trips limit switches.
• Pour a cup of water down the condensate drain in spring to confirm it runs.
• Test your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.
• Note anything unusual — a new noise, a longer run cycle, a room that has changed — and mention it at the next visit.