preventive maintenance
December 14, 2016

Preventive Maintenance Plans for Healthy HVAC Systems

Originally published December 2014, updated December 2016

preventive maintenanceJust as your vehicle needs regular service to ensure that everything is operating correctly, your heating and cooling equipment should be inspected and adjusted to achieve optimum performance. You might choose to put off that service for your vehicle, but you know that there could be serious consequences in the long run. Similarly, failing to maintain the HVAC system in your Colleen, Virginia, home regularly, can lead to serious problems. By choosing a preventive maintenance plan, you can take advantage of timely service and get access to important support solutions throughout the year.

Optimization of HVAC Systems

HVAC maintenance enables you to begin the season with reliable and efficient service from your home comfort equipment. You can reap numerous benefits from regular preventive care, including:

  • Improved efficiency – annual efficiency loss for normal system use can be five percent or more and a tuneup can counteract this loss.
  • Identification of faulty parts – a mechanical system experiences wear over time, and regular HVAC maintenance allows for worn out or broken parts to be repaired or replaced as needed.
  • Averting system problems – regular maintenance can reduce the potential for a later breakdown by as much as 95 percent. While it is impossible to avoid all HVAC repair, preventive care can save a lot of money on unanticipated heating and cooling emergencies.
  • HVAC safety – heating equipment that operates through the combustion of fuel can pose a safety risk through carbon monoxide (CO) leaks, making annual inspections a crucial safety measure for your household.
  • Longevity of your equipment – you can expect approximately 14 years of service from a heat pump or air conditioner and approximately 20 years of service from a furnace. Regular maintenance reduces the risk of early equipment failures and costly upgrade needs.

A maintenance plan allows you to take care of your equipment and identify problems early. You will be able to manage your home comfort levels effectively throughout the year.

What Does a Maintenance Visit Entail?

Preventive maintenance involves a thorough inspection of your system. Your technician will perform services including:

  • Inspecting all parts, noting those that may need to be replaced or repaired
  • Lubricating moving parts
  • Cleaning blower motors and parts
  • Cleaning condenser and evaporator coils in an air conditioner or heat pump
  • Inspecting and cleaning drainage systems
  • Testing refrigerant levels in an air conditioner or heat pump
  • Inspecting and cleaning heat exchangers
  • Inspecting and testing pilot and igniter
  • Testing electronic components and system controls
  • Calibrating thermostat as needed
  • Evaluating airflow
  • Tightening loose fittings and connections
  • Evaluating combustion systems for CO levels

How Is a Maintenance Plan Helpful?

It is easy to forget about maintenance when temperatures are mild and other needs are pressing. However, failure to have your system’s tuneup completed prior to weather changes can lead to unexpected problems. A system that has a failing part, for example, might malfunction during initial use. However, preventive maintenance allows such an issue to be identified and corrected early.

Maintenance plans provide our customers with access to priority service and related benefits. Customers who sign up for our plans can receive discounts on a variety of products and services.

Taking Care of Our Valued Customers

Ducts can result in a significant loss of energy if leaks are present. Dirt and leaks can affect the health of persons in your household. A proactive maintenance plan will include duct inspections. We will let you know if you need duct repairs or duct cleaning.

Preventive maintenance will enhance the performance of your system and extend its life. However, when it’s time for a replacement, our technicians can help to make the decision and the process a lot easier. We will provide an overview of the costs and savings involved in an upgrade. Call W.E. Brown, Inc. today at (434) 295-1177 to schedule a consultation for HVAC maintenance. Our team is ready to help meet your HVAC repair and maintenance needs today.

Keep Reading

Planning a Home Renovation? Here’s Your Comprehensive HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical To-Do List

Planning a Home Renovation? Here’s Your Comprehensive HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical To-Do List

If you’re embarking on a home renovation project, it’s crucial to make sure you have a comprehensive plan for your HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. This part of the renovation process may not be as glamorous as choosing new flooring or fresh paint colors, but these systems will keep you safe and comfortable for years

Read More  
How to Fix a Running Toilet…And Why You Should Address It Immediately!

How to Fix a Running Toilet…And Why You Should Address It Immediately!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably either standing in front of a noisy, constantly running toilet, or you’re curious how to avoid this homeowner headache.  A running toilet is an expensive maintenance task to leave on the back burner. You can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day, depending on the age and

Read More  
Winter Heating Tips: How to Stay Warm Without Breaking the Bank

Winter Heating Tips: How to Stay Warm Without Breaking the Bank

There are a few months of winter ahead of us here in Charlottesville, so keeping our homes warm and comfortable is a top priority. Here are some tips on how you can keep it cozy without just cranking up the heat and paying for it when the energy bill arrives. We’ve said it before, and

Read More  
Two Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality this Winter

Two Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality this Winter

As the weather gets colder and days get shorter, your family is likely spending a little more time indoors. It’s important to ensure the air circulating in your home is as healthy and dust-free as possible!  Even when it’s too cold to open a window, there are some ways to proactively protect your indoor air

Read More  
<strong>3 Signs Your Heating System Needs to be Checked</strong>

3 Signs Your Heating System Needs to be Checked

Are you receiving high electric bills or noticing strange noises or smells from your heating system? When our customers call us and mention warning signs like this, we recommend a service check immediately!  Bad Smells Strong, foul odors are a common warning sign of a heating system that needs attention. The bad smells could be

Read More  
5 Signs You Need to Call A Plumber

5 Signs You Need to Call A Plumber

Most people only call a plumber in crisis mode or when installing new fixtures. However, there are some common signs of wear and tear that shouldn’t be overlooked! #1: Slow Drains and Persistent Clogs Do you have a stubborn drain that always holds water? This is likely due to hair, grease, debris, or other debris

Read More  
Cozy and Cost-Effective: A Checklist to Help Prepare Your Home for Fall Heating Savings

Cozy and Cost-Effective: A Checklist to Help Prepare Your Home for Fall Heating Savings

Here in Central Virginia, fall is quickly approaching! While the fall season brings many fun activities and autumn treats to look forward to, it also means dropping temperatures and rising heating bills. We’ve gathered our best tips for preparing your home for the fall and winter seasons to help you be as energy-efficient as possible!

Read More  
Electrical Safety 101: Essential Tips for Homeowners

Electrical Safety 101: Essential Tips for Homeowners

As a homeowner, you want to feel safe and equipped to fix common, simple issues. However, when it comes to electrical, many of us don’t know much except where the breaker box is located. If you don’t know where your panel is…this is your sign to go find it! Breaker boxes are often located in

Read More  
10 Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Summer

10 Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Summer

Maintaining a healthy and comfortable indoor environment is essential year-round. However, we’ve found that managing indoor air quality can be trickier in the summer when you’re less likely to bring in fresh air through open windows. Here are 10 tips that will help you optimize your HVAC system’s performance, control humidity levels, and minimize indoor

Read More  
How to Program Your Thermostat for Optimal Comfort AND Efficiency

How to Program Your Thermostat for Optimal Comfort AND Efficiency

Each year, more homeowners make the switch to programmable thermostats. Why? Because these devices can make it easier to stay comfortable and use your HVAC system as efficiently as possible. Here’s how we advise our customers to strike a balance of comfort and energy efficiency:  Make a Small Temperature Change  The Google Nest team recommends

Read More  
What’s Really Better? Central Air Conditioning or a Ductless System?

What’s Really Better? Central Air Conditioning or a Ductless System?

Are you building a home or adding an HVAC system to your existing home? You’ll need to choose either central air conditioning or a ductless system. While there are pros and cons to both systems, the choice depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Cost Considerations Since ductless systems are less expensive and less complicated

Read More  
Ways to Reduce Allergens and Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Ways to Reduce Allergens and Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Does your family struggle seasonally or year-round with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory difficulties? It may be time to think about ways to improve your indoor air quality. Deep Clean to Get Rid of Potential Allergens To help alleviate allergy symptoms, it’s best to eliminate dust mites and pet dander from your home by cleaning

Read More  
5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Neglect

5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Neglect

When life gets busy, it’s easy to forget or ignore routine home maintenance tasks. However, identifying minor problems can keep issues from turning into major, expensive repairs. Here are five home maintenance tasks you should never overlook:  Fix leaky faucets: Fixing leaks is about more than just saving water and avoiding flooring or wall damage.

Read More  
Introducing the 2023 W.E. Give Back Program

Introducing the 2023 W.E. Give Back Program

W.E. Brown has thrived in the Charlottesville area since 1922 and every year, we try to find ways to give back to this amazing community where our customers live. This year, we’re partnering with our friends at NBC29 to host the W.E. Give Back Program. The goal of this program is to recognize and give

Read More  
3 Reasons to Consider Buying a Generator this Winter

3 Reasons to Consider Buying a Generator this Winter

During the cold winter months, owning a generator can bring peace of mind. Being without power in frigid weather can be inconvenient and even dangerous. Here at W.E. Brown, we believe that investing in a generator is a step you can take to ensure that your family stays safe and that you don’t have to

Read More  
Troubleshoot a Tripped Circuit Breaker.

Troubleshoot a Tripped Circuit Breaker.

When a breaker trips in your home, it’s due to overcapacity or a short: The breaker trips, stopping the flow of electricity as a safety measure. A tripped main breaker will cut the power off to your entire house. SOME COMMON CAUSES CAN INCLUDE: too many appliances; appliances that require too much electricity; damaged breakers;

Read More  
Troubleshoot uneven heating.

Troubleshoot uneven heating.

Routine maintenance makes sure your heat pump is working at peak performance. But if one room is typically colder than the rest of your home, here are a few DIY tips you can do to help. Test your thermostat. Affix a thermometer on your wall next to your thermostat. Place a towel behind the thermometer

Read More  
Troubleshoot a clogged toilet.

Troubleshoot a clogged toilet.

To ensure that your toilet doesn’t overflow, remove the lid from the toilet tank and close the rubber flapper—unless you have a pressure-assisted tank. You may also reach behind the toilet and turn off the water supply. (Make sure you turn the supply back on when you’re ready to flush again.) PLUNGER Grab a heavy-duty

Read More  
What is emergency heat?

What is emergency heat?

What is emergency heat—and why do I need it? As a follow-up to our recent blog “My A/C won’t keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day,” we’re taking a look at how heat pumps use emergency heat to perform adequately during the winter. Emergency or auxiliary heat is a supplemental heating component installed

Read More  
My A/C won't keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day.

My A/C won't keep my house cool enough on a 95-degree day.

It’s 95 degrees outside, and you can’t get your indoor temperature to go below 75 degrees—even with your thermostat set on 72 degrees. It seems as if the AC can’t keep up. First thing you might think; okay, let’s get a larger AC to keep perfectly cool when summer temperatures hit above 93 degrees. However,

Read More