Exactly what do you actually do for the money? Do you do any predictive testing? How about doing a quick manual D in your head or ask the homeowner what parts have failed before and if all rooms are comfortable while they have the heat and air running?
6 Likes
We do a full inspection of the unit. We make sure the unit is blowing at the correct PSI, that freon is at proper levels, that thermo stat is functioning as needed, we check the condenser, we check the condensat drain, and more. We check the unit inside and out. We also check the furnace and clean all filters. If we find any issues we make sure to let the customer know what the issue’s are and how much it will cost to fix.
We perform tune ups at a reasonable rate. We clean coils, check freon levels, change filters, check air temperature at reisters and make sure your unit is working at its best.
We check - Furnace, heat exchanger, oil blower and amp test, clean coils, check the thermostat, change filter- AC Unit, freon charge, capacitor, acid quik test line, clean any debris from unit - House, check temp at registers, adjust flow to a comfortable level.
Then report any findings to the home owner.
You’ll find that most of the items on a maintenance “checklist” are common sense items and that with a little bit of care you can do most of them yourself and save the money. If your AC is operating normally there’s no need to check the refrigerant pressures. It’s a closed system. Refrigerant does not eveporate. There’s no need to “top off” the charge unless you have a leak. If you’re low on refrigerant, the unit will let you know by not cooling properly or developing ice across the evap coil. Todays motors do not require lubrication, if they’re spinning, they’re working. Here are a few things YOU can do.
Keep your filter clean – Good airflow across the Evaporator coil (the indoor portion of a “split System”) is essential. When your filter is too dirty to allow the air to flow across the coil, the coil is not able to absorb the heat from the air and in some cases will cause your evaporator to form ice on its surface. Sometimes this ice is visible all the way back to the outdoor unit. Not only does this make the system work harder but there are also other bad things that can happen. The compressor in you’re A/C was designed to “compress” refrigerant vapor only. When the air is prevented from flowing across the Evaporator coil, due to a dirty filter or coil, the refrigerant is not able to turn into a vapor and flows back to your compressor in he form of a liquid. This is not a good thing and can damage the compressor and cost you big money.
Drain Line – During the course of cooling the air, the evaporator will sweat; this water collects and flows down the drain line. Since this drain line is dark and wet, algae will form. If enough of this algae forms it will clog the drain and cause the water to overflow the evaporator drain pan and create quite a mess in the process. With some simple maintenance you can help things drain smoothly. Mix a 50% solution of bleach and water and pour this down the drain line every month. This will shock the algae and release it from the wall of the drain line allowing it to flow down the drain. If you own a wet-vac, you can locate the outlet of the drain line (usually near the outdoor unit) and suck out any algae that clogs or collects in this pipe.
Thermostat – Replacing your old thermostat with a new programmable one is easy to do and can save you money. Your thermostat is the “brain” of the A/C system. It monitors the temperature of your house and instructs the A/C when to turn on and off. A programmable thermostat can be programmed to turn the unit on and off or change the temperature settings at specific times of the day or night. You don’t need your A/C to run at 72 degrees when you’re sleeping or at work. Just a change of a few degrees can save some serious cash. program the thermostat to 80 degrees while at work and then to automatically drop to 75 a couple of hours before you get home and walk into a cool house without having to run the unit all day.
Helping the outdoor unit breathe – One of the most important parts of you A/C system is the outdoor unit (condensing unit). The condensing unit is responsible for “releasing” the heat that got absorbed from the inside of your house, to the outdoors. It is also where your compressor lives. The number one reason for compressor failure is related to heat. Keep the area around the outside unit clear of trash, long grass or bushes. Never restrict the air from flowing into or out of this unit in any way. Once a month, turn off the power to this unit and rinse off the fins with a hose. Always spray the water in the direction of the fins and take care not to bend or damage them in any way
Now having said all this there are some things that a qualified Tech will check that you may have the tools or skill to check, such as Amperage draw of compressor or fan motors, loose or damaged electrical connections, badly worn contactors, rusted out capacitors or relays, potential points of rub-outs etc.......We have built our company around a truely full PM program that is offered to our residential, commercial and industrial clients.
A full PM is well beyond a quick filter change. We provide coil inspections and cleaning, evaperator drain inspection and additon of chemicals to prevent slim growth if needed. We work with the AC pressures and understand super heat and subcooling to prove proper system function.
Alot of the PM is communication with the customer too. Understanding if there are areas of the home with airflow or temperature issues, and knowing the recent concerns from utility costs to noises in the attic, or allergy and mold concerns.
Too many companies use a PM only as a sales contact tool - pushing new products and services that the client does not even need. Understanding first the concerns and then offering solutions is out goal.
the Maintenance check, that we do is to let you Know the condition of your unit,that you are using a good filter to protect your unit and not leaving it for to long during the summer,to check your draing line that you can prevent water damage on your floor or cealing,we flush the drain from the primari pan,you need to know the integraty of your capacitors and contactors,checking your duct system is important for you to know,you also want to know about accesorys that extend the life of your system( like a Surge Protector,Hard Start KIt that help your compressor,UV lignt to protect your duct system from bacteria). checking the refrigerant is important if you have to much or not enough it wil hurt your compressor , so the tech has to do a super heat or subcool refrigerant test.
We offer a full 15 point inspection on your home heating and air conditioning system. Some of the items we check include all motors in the system. We also make sure that the system is reaching the proper temperatures for heating and cooling. We also check the refrigerant levels of the system. As well as offering suggestions to run the system at an energy efficient.
For heaters should inspect heat exchanger,clean/check burners,ign.assembly,drains,gas pressure,flame sensor reading,check draft,fan & limit controls check vents/flues & termination and lubricate draft inducer.
Any licensed contractor should do more than just change the filter, including charging your freon, take temperature deltas for each room, clean condensation drain (not as big of a problem in low humidity areas), etc. The best advice I could give you is to ASK the company themselves. If you don’t like the answer, then go elsewhere. Any technician worth his weight will not only tell you, but show you what they are doing - air conditioning units are expensive, so don’t be afraid to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to.
To be perfectly honest, there are few people in the business who actually know enough about the units to pull them apart and put them back together. I am happy to say that we are one of them, but that’s really just from experience.
With the exception of the freon, you can do most of it yourself with a little YouTube research and time. Think of it as kind of like changing the oil in your car and maintaining it yourself - once you learn how to do it, you can do it, but sometimes it isn’t worth your time if you aren’t in the mood.
If you have any questions, give us a call.
For $29, you could expect little more than a filter change ( and possibly a sales pitch). If you are paying for a true PM visit, it should take a little over an hour per system. Some PM visits include waxing the furnace or AC unit. The big problem I ussualy see is no duct inspection. A quick glance could reveal several duct leaks. Measuring the air temp out of the ducts is a good test. I will be able to put a little caulk or tape on some leaks. Some leaks require more expensive repairs
We always check with the customer when we arrive on site and find out if they are having any issues with the cooing system, or the heating system if we are there to perform that maintenance. We start the system and observe the operation of the equipment before we begin our service. When performing the cooling maintenance we start at the indoor equipment checking the coil and drain line or condensate pump if that’s the means of condensate removal. We check the blower motor and wheel making sure that both are cleaned and lubed it that motor and blower wheel have fittings for that service. We also take capacitance readings on capacitors and tighten all electrical connections and change or clean the air filter depending on the type with this install. Add a small amount of bleach to the condensate line and or pump. If there is not a clean out tee in the drain line we will add one so future service is made easier.
At the condensing unit will will clean condenser coil, lube motor ( if the motor is so equipped ) check the contactor for dirt, bugs or pitting. We take readings on all capacitors and install the gauges to check superheat or subcooling. If the capacitors are not at stamped ratings for MFD or the contractor shows signs of possible failure do to pitting or arching will will show the parts to the customers and explain the condition and quote a price and ask for approval before proceeding. If everything is to spec or parts have been replaced then we start the system and proceed to check pressures and SH or SC.
While the system is running and everything is balancing out we will go indoors to check temperture drop across the coil and then proceed to balance charge at condenser to factory spec’s according to the pressure temperture charts or SC or SH charts on the equipment door if needed. Take an amp draw of the outdoor fan, compressor and indoor fan and make notations on our services sheet of all reads, pressures and temperatures we have found, any repairs or adjustment we performed or parts that we had approval for replacement. We go over everything that we did and explain how the system is operating and any recommendations we have for future service so the customer is aware of what many need performed at a later date.
I find that a lot of companies promoting cheap tune-ups are doing nothing but swap the filter and throw their gauges on for a few minutes. Then comes the fun part, your unit needs to be replaced… You pretty much get what you pay for. If the tech doesn’t ask any questions beforehand, he’s not doing his job. A proper tune-up takes 1.5-2 hours and involves lots of testing.
Unfortunetly, most companies use this, as a tool, to get in the house, to try and up sell…most techs, are merly sales guys, dressed like service techs… and most of them are on a commision basis. meaning, no sale, no money…, so they will do, and say, almost anything, to get the customer, to sign on the dotted line… that so called tuneup, just became thousands !!! but there really is honest people out there still, and a tuneup really is important, if its done the right way. it can actually let the unit run more efficiently, and lower the cost on the monthly bill…
This unfortunately is a valid question, as we have heard horror stories of “preventive maintenance” being nothing more than a filter change. Not to toot our own horn, but yes we perform it properly. To address your specific questions / topics:
- What do you do for the money?
We perform a complete check on your entire Heating or A/C system (depending on the applicable season), which includes checking all components thoroughly against specifications. We also clean the A.C. condenser (in season), check refrigerant levels, and more. Our process is too in-depth to completely specify here, but it is thorough. In heating season, all heater components are checked against specs, and appropriate components are cleaned (heat exchanger on furnace, etc). Then we provide you a list of the specs we found, for future reference. - Do you do any predictive testing?
Yes. Referenced in the answer to #1. We check all components and system operation against specifications. It gives your current system’s specs, which then can be used to identify weak points that need addressing. - a) How about doing a quick Manual D in your head…
On a new complete installation, we perform the appropriate actual load calculations outlined in the Manual J for residential and Manual N for commercial. And that’s what you’d want, not a guess. If there is a suspected oversizing or undersizing of the equipment already installed, we address that appropriately as well.
b) Do you ask the homeowner what parts have failed before?
This is part of good customer service, talking with the customer about their service history, and yes we do. An observant technician doing a thorough system check can usually identify parts that have been replaced also.
c) Do you ask if all areas of the home are comfortable when the system is running?
Yes. As part of our normal conversation process with the homeowner, we have a series of questions designed to uncover these issues, and many more.
ANY HEAT OR COOLING ISUE. ASK THEM TO EXCERSIZE T-STAT FUNCTIONS. HOT OR COLD POCKETS AND TEMP DIFF AT UNIT FILTER,CONNECTIONS, COMBUSTION SEQUANCE, DRAFT, TEMP RISE MEASURE CFM RETURN / SUPPLY, INSPECT ALL DUCT WORK FOR LEAKS OR BLOCKAGE FILTER ADJ MOTER SPEED IF NESSARY,.RUN IN COOL, CHECK PRESHURES, SUPER HEAT/SUB COOL. REPORT FINDINGS. 1-1.5 HOURES