Everyone knows they’re supposed to get their HVAC units maintained once a year, preferably before the freezing temperatures of winter hit. The routine is always the same: your HVAC technicians show up, spend a good hour in your basement fiddling with your home’s furnace and air conditioner, and will let you know if anything needs to be upgraded or repaired. But just what exactly are they looking for?

Maintaining Your Furnace

While testing your furnace or boiler, your technician will check and replace the filter if necessary. Ventilation is extremely important when it comes to heating and cooling; if the filters are clogged, your system will have to work much harder to circulate warm air. Technicians look for any signs of wear and tear in your ventilation system as these can cause problems down the road.

Next comes the interior. Your HVAC technician will clean and inspect the interior components, checking for the same kind of wear and tear that may become a bigger issue given enough time — this is why furnaces over the age of 10 years should be checked at least every year. As a bonus, your power consumption will be measured to check for unnecessary power usage, and a full system test — as well as a calibration of your thermostat — will be performed to ensure everything is in safe, working order.

Maintaining Your AC

Though you may not be needing air conditioning services for several more months, it’s always a good idea to check both systems. Your tech will examine the indoor and outdoor components of your AC unit, including motors, belts, and coolant levels. The circuits, safety controls, drain line, and condensate pump will all be checked as well; mold can spread quickly throughout a home if it is originating in your HVAC unit.

Just as with the furnace or boiler, all electrical components will be inspected for signs of damage (and replaced if they fail). Since AC units also circulate throughout the home, your HVAC filter will be replaced. Again, you won’t need any air conditioning services for another season, but making sure your system is clean and fully functioning well ahead of time means you won’t have to struggle through heatwaves if something is wrong.