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Old thread, but we get furnace and ac checked each year by the company that installed them. Local company with knowledgeable, skilled techs. Peace of mind.
Same here. I always did with my previous system as well and it ran like a champ for the 12 years I had it before I sold the house. I imagine it's still going well unless the new owners are neglecting it. I did the same thing for the generator too. In fact, I keep up on maintenance on all my house systems; it's worth it to me and I get excellent service from my electrician and plumbers.
You need to keep your coils clean, but you can by a can of coil cleaner almost anywhere and do that yourself. Just follow the instructions on the can. The only other benefit would be to keep you from surprises, like knowing something is going to go out. They also check refirgerant levels.
Best advice, clean your coils every year and have the pro come out every few years to check everything else. Just be selective who you choose. Most companies offer a low price because they are trained to always find something wrong that can be charged for, or sell you $200/lb recharges
I am wondering - when they check the refrigerant levels, does that release a tiny bit of refrigerant? kind of like when you check the air pressure in a tire, it seems that as you are putting on the thing a tiny bit of air escapes.
I recently got an inspection/tune-up. My dad said he thought the AC wasn't blowing very cold and maybe the refrigerant was low. So I called for the inspection. The guy checked the refrigerant level, and inspected the mechanical stuff. But that's about it. It costs me $89. It only took him about 20 mins. (but then we spent another 20 just shooting the breeze, was a nice guy who knew a lot about the history of the area)
But I feel it wasn't worth it. But I guess if you're wondering about your refrigerant level, not sure what else you can do.
Oh yeah, the guy actually damaged my thermostat. He pulled it off and then jammed it back on and one of the pins bent. I had to buy another thermostat. Not a huge deal, it wasn't an expensive one. But kind of ironic.
This is a long posting, and I've not taken time to read what's been said to the end.
Do you know that in many cities virtually all HVAC contractors sold out to the HVAC manufacturers? You can write off any objective opinions of brands that would suit your needs and pocketbooks.
I have a buddy that is FedEx's HVAC man, and he engineered the spot air conditioning in their huge sorting centers. He's an employee like all his other workers, too.
I use an independent HVAC guy--just him and his retired father. And they can afford to be reasonable on pricing--and still be honest.
Fortunately the previous owners of our new to us home replaced both heat pumps last year--at 11 years old.
I recently got an inspection/tune-up. My dad said he thought the AC wasn't blowing very cold and maybe the refrigerant was low. So I called for the inspection. The guy checked the refrigerant level, and inspected the mechanical stuff. But that's about it. It costs me $89. It only took him about 20 mins. (but then we spent another 20 just shooting the breeze, was a nice guy who knew a lot about the history of the area)
But I feel it wasn't worth it. But I guess if you're wondering about your refrigerant level, not sure what else you can do.
Oh yeah, the guy actually damaged my thermostat. He pulled it off and then jammed it back on and one of the pins bent. I had to buy another thermostat. Not a huge deal, it wasn't an expensive one. But kind of ironic.
If you’re worried about your refrigerant level you can get a gauge like the techs use and then learn about what’s appropriate.
Ive been told the more complex multi stage units require more inspection and cleaning than older modes. Is that true experts>? Makes sense to me as these models are much more complex with more systems in controls than the good old workhorses..
Ive been told the more complex multi stage units require more inspection and cleaning than older modes. Is that true experts>? Makes sense to me as these models are much more complex with more systems in controls than the good old workhorses..
The expensive systems also incorporate diagnostics and reporting which would be communicated to a smart thermostat. Depending how configured might even send an alert to the dealer.
I’m not sure what extra cleaning is really needed other than a filter change, coil cleaning inside and outside. That’s pretty universal for any AC.
It depends where you live. We live in hot, hot Florida and no A/C is not an option period. We purchased one of those contracts and it was worth every penny. Our HVAC unit was 17 years old and when we relocated the unit to the attic it couldn't keep the house under 83. It never worked all that good but it was passable. Long story short we bought the contract and after 1.5 years and 4 visits the tech told us the coil was leaking expensive Freon and wasn't worth putting money into. At that point we decided to replace it (in February) and got a great deal 6 months 0% financing, a $650 discount and $300 rebate from the power company. We got a 5 ton since the 4 ton was too small and the house is delightful now no problem keeping it at 77 and it doesn't run 24/7 like the old one. Our bills are $50 less per month too. When we lived in WNY A/C wasn't a huge deal and we waited till the unit died and then did the minimum repairs. I wouldn't waste the money unless you live in a hot climate.
It depends where you live. We live in hot, hot Florida and no A/C is not an option period. We purchased one of those contracts and it was worth every penny. Our HVAC unit was 17 years old and when we relocated the unit to the attic it couldn't keep the house under 83. It never worked all that good but it was passable. Long story short we bought the contract and after 1.5 years and 4 visits the tech told us the coil was leaking expensive Freon and wasn't worth putting money into. At that point we decided to replace it (in February) and got a great deal 6 months 0% financing, a $650 discount and $300 rebate from the power company. We got a 5 ton since the 4 ton was too small and the house is delightful now no problem keeping it at 77 and it doesn't run 24/7 like the old one. Our bills are $50 less per month too. When we lived in WNY A/C wasn't a huge deal and we waited till the unit died and then did the minimum repairs. I wouldn't waste the money unless you live in a hot climate.
17 years old for a Florida unit is positively geriatric.
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