As spring approaches, it is likely that you are going to need to check on a few things before you switch from heat to air conditioning. At Cates Heating and Cooling, we recommend that you schedule a spring HVAC maintenance check-up with one of our expert technicians. When one of our technicians comes out to your home, we will take care of a lot of maintenance for you. Let’s take a look at what we offer.

Professional HVAC Maintenance

While all HVAC companies will perform slightly different maintenance tune-ups, at Cates Heating and Cooling, we take care of the following for our customers:

• Remove debris from the unit: Dirt and dust can cause your system to run less efficiently, which can lead to overworking the system. Over time, this can lead to breakdowns. For us, it makes more sense to clean the unit now than come out to fix bigger problems in the future.
• Replace air filter: Air filters are meant to catch dust, dirt, and allergens before they are distributed through the air in your home. A dirty air filter can’t do its job properly. For this reason, we always replace dirty and old air filters.
• Check electrical connections: If electrical connections become loose, they can cause the unit to work improperly, so we make sure that all of the connections are tight and in good shape before we leave.
• Check refrigerant: Refrigerant is what cools the air in your air conditioning unit. Without refrigerant, only warm air can come out of your HVAC system. We check the refrigerant levels to make sure that your family will stay cool throughout the warmer months.
• Clean condensing coil and condensate drain: As part of the outdoor unit, the condensing coil is likely to get dirty at some point. We clean this part of the unit to prevent inefficiency and lack of cool air coming into your home. Cleaning the condensing coil can also prevent future problems with the unit. The condensate drain also gets cleaned to prevent clogs, ice formation, and flooding. When these issues occur, damage can occur to the unit and your property.
• Check mechanical components, i.e. blower motors and compressors
• Check refrigerant components, TXV’s, Solenoids, Driers, and Strainers

While there are many other services that we provide for our valued customers, these are some of the most important. To learn more about what a Cates Annual Service Contract involves, contact us today. With an annual service contract, we will visit your home twice a year, before the spring and fall seasons to make sure that your HVAC system is ready for the upcoming seasons.

DIY HVAC Maintenance

Professional maintenance takes care of a lot of the big things that will protect your HVAC system. However, there are a few things that you can do yourself to makes sure you start spring on the right foot with your HVAC system.

• Dust: Allergens can accumulate in your home, especially during cold weather when we tend to stay inside more often. When you’ve been cooped up all winter, there is likely a lot of dust and other dirt piling up in your home. Dust frequently and mop up any remaining dust that lingers on your floors.
• Clean ducts: Air ducts quickly accumulate all kinds of dust and dirt. Cleaning the ducts will ensure that dirty air isn’t being put back into the air of your home. If your ducts are really dirty, you might want to schedule a professional deep clean.
• Weed near the outdoor unit: Unfortunately, it is hard to prevent plants and weeds from encroaching on the outdoor air conditioning unit. We suggest mowing away from the AC and prevent grass clippings from entering the unit.

To set up annual maintenance visits, contact Cates Heating and Cooling today at 913-888-4470. Our technicians would be happy to help you make sure that your HVAC unit is in the best shape possible.