Predictable maintenance expenditures are a bargain compared to unexpected exorbitant repair bills or long-term spiraling operating costs. Factor in more consistent household comfort and improved indoor air quality, and cost effectiveness tips conclusively in favor of preventative HVAC maintenance.
Manufacturer efficiency ratings and expected service life predictions all assume that both professional maintenance and regular owner upkeep are performed on schedule. Here’s how preventative HVAC maintenance tasks are divided:
The Professional
Both the furnace and A/C should receive an annual checkup and tune-up from a qualified HVAC technician. Ideally, these should be performed before the heating and cooling seasons begin, respectively. Tasks addressed during a professional maintenance call include:
- Cleaning A/C coils and furnace burners.
- Inspecting your furnace’s heat exchanger.
- Measuring air conditioner refrigerant level and tracing leaks if necessary.
- Checking all wiring.
- Lubricating moving blower parts and checking drive belts.
- Visually inspecting ductwork.
- Testing furnace airflow for carbon monoxide.
- Checking for balanced airflow in individual rooms.
- Verifying proper thermostat calibration and operation.
The Homeowner
The list of DIY maintenance items on your home’s HVAC equipment is short and simple, but nevertheless critical for optimum efficiency and years of trouble-free operation. You should:
- Change your system’s air filter monthly with high-quality pleated filters.
- Keep shrubbery and other vegetation at least two feet away from the outdoor A/C unit’s vent openings.
- Remove any debris, such as leaves or grass clippings, from the outdoor A/C intake and exhaust vents.
- Pour a cleaning mixture and water into the air conditioner condensate drain pan once a year during the cooling season.
- Make sure all supply vents in your home are open and unobstructed by furniture, drapes and other objects.
- Install a new battery in the carbon monoxide detector every year.
To schedule qualified preventative HVAC maintenance for your home, contact the professionals at Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the homeowners of Wabash Valley since 1922.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Terre Haute, Indiana about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “alexmillos/Shutterstock”
Jeff Paitson is a third generation business owner who continues to run the business with the same values that have been passed down from previous generations since 1922.
Jeff’s belief is that the business belongs to Jesus Christ; therefore 10 percent of the company’s profits go toward the Maryland Community Church.
Jeff is a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce member and in his spare time, he enjoys 
Ethan Rayburn is a lifelong resident of Terre Haute and a 2005 graduate of Purdue University.
An Eagle Scout, Ethan spent four years as a non-profit executive with the Boy Scouts of America before joining Paitson Bros. as a comfort advisor and later General Manager. In that role, Ethan has brought a renewed enthusiasm for customer care, integrity, value, and service to Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning.
Ethan enjoys singing and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer, spending time with his family and two young boys, and volunteering his time and resources with his church, Terre Haute First Baptist Church, which he has attended from a very young age.
Paitson Bros
1 (812) 232-2347
Serving the Wabash Valley, IN Area Since 1922