Long Island, NY, has variable weather. You might need your furnace or heating system on one night, then a big weather change might mean that you need air conditioning a few days later. In order for your heating and cooling system to maintain indoor comfort in places with big temperature swings and four seasons of weather, it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance. When those tune-ups are performed by one of our skilled technicians at B.A.C. Systems Inc., you can rest assured knowing that your heating and cooling system will safely, efficiently and effectively maintain indoor comfort. Here’s what you need to know about scheduling heating, ventilation and air conditioning maintenance for your Long Island area home.
Maintenance for Your Air Conditioner
In Long Island, you’ll need your air conditioner on a consistent basis throughout the whole summer. We recommend a maintenance visit for the cooling system in mid- to late-spring. Our air conditioning maintenance visit includes cleaning the condensate line, measuring the refrigerant, inspecting the electronic controls and checking the system’s performance. We’ll also clean the fan blades and fins. Our technicians also remove the dirty air filter and replace it with a clean one. If we identify any parts with excessive wear and tear or another issue, we’ll let you know. Scheduling the air conditioning maintenance in the springtime gives us plenty of time to make any needed repairs before the weather gets too hot and humid.
Get a Tune-Up for Your Furnace or Heating System
We recommend an annual tune-up for your heating system. The best time to do this is in mid-autumn before the nighttime temperatures drop to sub-freezing levels. Heating system maintenance for furnaces and boilers includes checking the gas supply and electrical components. We also clean the burners and heat exchanger. Our technicians inspect the heat exchanger and check the combustion chamber’s air seal for signs of leaks. We’ll look into the flue to check for cracks or blockages. We test the burner and the system’s efficiency at heating your home. Our tune-up also includes checking for carbon monoxide gas. Our technicians also check and replace the furnace’s filter.
Maintenance for Heat Pumps
Heat pumps need a maintenance visit twice each year. That’s because they perform both heating and cooling functions. Since you’ll use your heat pump almost all year long, it will experience more wear and tear than HVAC systems with separate heating and cooling components. The best times of the year to schedule heat pump maintenance are in the mid-spring and mid-autumn. During a heat pump maintenance visit, we measure the refrigerant level, clean the condensate line, clean and lubricate moving parts, verify the thermostat and fan settings and examine the electronics. We inspect the hoses and tubing of the system and make sure there aren’t any leaks. Heat pumps also have filters, and we’ll replace it for you during the tune-up visit.
Monthly Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
In addition to scheduling an annual air conditioning or furnace maintenance visit or a semi-annual heat pump tune-up with our experienced technicians, there are some important maintenance tasks you can do on your own. Once a month, check your heating and cooling system’s air filter. During the peak of wintertime, when your heating system cycles every few minutes, the filter will quickly get clogged. This is also true during the hottest part of the summertime when your air conditioner frequently cycles. It may be dirty after just one month of use. Set a reminder in your calendar or on your phone to check the filter. Replace it if it’s visibly dirty. Don’t wait more than three months between filter changes. Operating your heating or cooling system with a dirty filter decreases its energy efficiency by 15% or more.
Quarterly Maintenance to Do Yourself
Once every three months, prune vegetation away from the outdoor unit of your heat pump or air conditioner. Remove the vent covers in your home, and use a vacuum to suction debris out of the openings. Wash and dry the vent covers before replacing them.
B.A.C. Systems Inc. is the trusted provider of heating and air conditioning maintenance. Long Island homeowners also count on us for reliable heating and cooling repair and replacement services. You can turn to us for masonry, roofing, siding, windows, gutters and hydronic heat systems. For more details about when to schedule HVAC maintenance for your home, get in touch with us at B.A.C. Systems Inc. any time.
