When fall approaches, you want to know that your heating system will keep you warm during the cold Lincoln, NE days and nights. Just like changing the oil and tuning up your car, maintaining your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system helps it work dependably and efficiently. One of the best ways to ensure dependability is to contact a professional HVAC company to tune up your system.
Our well-trained team at John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical has you covered. We provide preventive maintenance service for all brands and types of heating and cooling systems. We also offer a maintenance plan that includes spring and fall tune-ups to ensure that your HVAC system will keep you comfortable throughout the year.
What Is Preventive Maintenance?
As seasons change, you will probably flip the switch on your HVAC system from air conditioning to heating or vice versa. Before doing that, experts recommend calling an HVAC professional for a tune-up to ensure your system is ready to deliver heat for the winter or cool air
for the summer. Seasonal maintenance ensures that your HVAC system is in good condition and safe to use.
Major manufacturers and HVAC experts recommend tuning up the system in the spring before turning on the air conditioning and in the fall before starting the furnace. Maintenance is recommended for all kinds of heating and cooling equipment, including ducted forced-air systems, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, room air conditioners, furnaces, boilers and radiant heating systems.
Elements of Maintenance
During a maintenance session, experienced technicians thoroughly examine each component of your heating and air conditioning system for signs of wear, loose parts and dirt. They clean and calibrate each part and test the system to verify that it turns on, runs and shuts down properly.
During each maintenance session, technicians inspect components common to both heating and air conditioning, including controls, electrical connections, the thermostat, the condensate drain and ducts. We run diagnostic tests to ensure that the system operates properly.
During fall furnace maintenance, our technicians inspect the entire heating system:
- Clean burners
- Inspect and clean flue, plenum and housing
- Check heat exchanger for cracks or wear
- Check ignition, sensors and piping
- Examine, clean and lubricate fans and blowers
- Change filters
- Check gas pressure
- Check carbon monoxide and smoke alarms
Heat pumps do not have the combustible components that furnaces and boilers have. Instead, they use refrigerant year-round for heating and cooling. Heat pump maintenance includes:
- Check refrigerant levels
- Clean air filters
- Clean condenser and evaporator coils
- Check interior and exterior housing for dirt and debris
- Ensure reversing valve operates correctly
- Check and lubricate motors, blowers and other moving parts
- Clean condensate system
- Ensure system has proper airflow
- Calibrate thermostat and sensors
- Inspect ducts
Sometimes we find problems during a maintenance session. We inform you of the issue, recommend ways to correct the problem and provide a written estimate for the work to be completed. We recommend making corrections as soon as possible to avoid small problems turning into bigger, more expensive ones.
Cleaning or Changing Air Filters
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), cleaning or replacing filters is the simplest way to keep your HVAC system running efficiently. Clogged filters affect performance and indoor air quality. In fact, dirty filters are one of the leading causes of calls for HVAC repair services. Simply cleaning or changing air filters can lower the amount of energy your HVAC system uses by as much as 15%.
Dirty filters impede airflow, which makes the compressor work harder to produce conditioned air. Clogged filters allow airborne particulates to bypass the filter and enter ducts. Pollutants that bypass the filter, such as pollen, pet dander, dust and biological agents, eventually enter the living space. Coils within ducts become coated with particulates, which affect heat transfer and cause the system to lose efficiency. Over time, the system shuts down.
Cleaning air filters is a task homeowners can do between professional maintenance sessions. Cleaning filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions keeps pollutants from entering ducts. If you live in an area with a lot of dust, pollen or other airborne contaminants, you may have to change air filters more frequently. If you have pets, you should check filters monthly.
Standard HVAC filters are designed to capture large particulates that keep coils and interior components of the system clean. If indoor air quality is of concern, ask our technicians about upgrading to a high-quality filter that captures small particulate matter. We will recommend a filter that will better meet your indoor air quality needs and work with your HVAC system.
Benefits of Seasonal Maintenance
Maintenance optimizes performance and improves energy efficiency and comfort. For businesses, maintaining a healthy indoor climate benefits employees, clients and equipment. Scheduled maintenance reduces downtime, allowing managers to keep their facilities running smoothly. Neglecting maintenance results in a decline in performance and increases energy usage. Many manufacturers require proof of maintenance by an HVAC professional to keep warranties valid.
The benefits of preventive maintenance include:
- Improves energy efficiency
- Extends equipment service life
- Reduces likelihood of breakdowns
- Contributes to good indoor air quality
- Maintains comfort
- Optimizes overall performance
- Ensures system is safe to operate
Improving Energy Efficiency
Heating and cooling account for almost half of the energy usage in a typical home in the U.S. Lowering energy usage saves money and reduces demand. HVAC maintenance enhances energy efficiency and comfort. Leaks in ducts, dirty filters and poorly maintained equipment require systems to use more energy to operate.
Poorly sealed ducts can lose up to 30% of the conditioned air flowing through them. During a maintenance session, we examine ducts for holes and tears. We check registers for dirt and ensure that joins to registers are secure.
If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, uses a lot of energy or does not keep you comfortable, we can evaluate the system. We also look at other factors that can affect energy efficiency, including air leaks in the building and insufficient insulation.
Purchase an Annual Maintenance Plan
Annual maintenance plans offer many benefits, including peace of mind knowing that your furnace and air conditioner is well-maintained and performs safely. Even if you forget to schedule service, the staff at John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical will not forget. We will call you and arrange a convenient time to come to your home or office for a maintenance session.
Our HVAC maintenance plan offers:
- Two annual tune-ups
- Diagnostic service
- Standard 1-inch filter maintenance
- 15% off repairs
- Priority service
- Annual humidifier maintenance
In addition to commercial and residential heating and cooling services, John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical also provides plumbing and electrical services. We offer two maintenance plans. The Deluxe Plan covers HVAC maintenance, and the VIP Plan includes much more:
- Discount on duct cleaning scheduled every two years
- Annual plumbing inspections
- Annual electrical inspections
- Complimentary dryer duct cleaning every two years
- 15% off indoor air quality products
- Discount on HVAC system replacement
John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical has served the greater Lincoln community since 1996. We are a family-owned business, committed to excellent customer service. Our experienced professionals offer new installations, repair services and maintenance for heating and air conditioning equipment, electrical needs and plumbing.
We offer 24-hour emergency repair services. Whether your furnace stops working on a cold day, your electricity goes out or you suspect a gas leak, help is nearby.
For more information about our services, call John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical today.
