It’s Time for HVAC Maintenance in Northern Virginia

Sunday Sep 15, 2013

Believe it or not, the weather will cool down in Northern Virginia before you know it and you’ll want your heating system to be working properly. Regularly scheduled maintenance by a professional is essential for keeping your system in top operating condition.

Regular HVAC Maintenance in Northern Virginia is Important

• Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump – our technician can show you how to do this. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure. Filters should be checked monthly, especially in times of high usage. Use the best quality filters for the best results.
• Check your condenser (outdoors) as well. First remove any grass, weeds or vines that may have grown up around your condenser, obstructing air flow. Using a dry, soft brush, clean the exterior of the condenser to remove accumulated dirt. If you are reaching the fins, use care when brushing away dirt. Fins are lightweight and easily damaged. Don’t use your hose, as the dirt can turn to mud packed between the fins.
• The concrete pad on which your condenser rests should be level. You can check this by setting a carpenter’s level front to back and side to side on top of the condenser.
• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
• Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.

Maintain your Loudoun County HVAC equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a Climatic technician do annual pre-season check-ups, it’s best to check your cooling system in the spring and your heating system in the fall.