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Plain guides to heating, cooling, indoor air and 5G home internet
HVAC Maintenance & Repairs
Keep a system running, and know when it is time to replace it
What a seasonal tune-up covers, the warning signs worth a service call, and how to weigh one more repair against a new system.
Before heating and cooling season
Seasonal tune-ups
- Check refrigerant charge and the airflow across the coil
- Clean the coils and clear the condensate drain
- Test the safety controls, the igniter and the flame sensor
- Tighten electrical connections and check the capacitor
Check my home
01.
Repairs
- Write down what you hear, see and smell, and when it happens
- Check the breaker, the filter and the thermostat batteries first
- Ask for the diagnosis and the price in writing before work starts
- Keep the old part if you want a second opinion
Check my home
02.
Inspections
- An HVAC inspection goes further than a general home inspection
- Ask for the age and model number of every unit
- On fuel furnaces, ask about the heat exchanger and venting
- Keep the report with the home’s other records
Check my home
03.
Repair or replace
- Look at the age of the system and how often it has failed
- Weigh this repair against the ones likely to follow it
- Systems that use R-22 face costly refrigerant, since production ended in 2020
- Ask for both options, priced in writing, from the same visit
Check my home
04.
Checklist
Signs worth a service call
Cycling
The system starts and stops every few minutes
Ice
Frost or ice forms on the refrigerant lines or the coil
Water
Water pools around the indoor unit or the furnace
Smell
A burning or electrical smell: switch the system off and call
Alarm
A carbon monoxide alarm sounds: get everyone outside and call 911
AC units, furnaces, heat pumps, installs
Heating & Cooling Systems
01.
Filtration, humidity, ventilation
Indoor Air Quality
02.
Lower bills, efficient equipment, assessments
Energy Efficiency
03.
