We might not give the heating and cooling system in our home much thought until it breaks down. It’s no fun when the furnace stops working during the coldest winter day or the air conditioner quits during a heatwave.

When it comes to your HVAC system, it needs both a seasonal tune-up and preventative maintenance. Understanding the difference between these two services can help to ensure that your system maintenance is done correctly. For the most part, preventative maintenance is comprised of the tasks that you can do yourself while seasonal tune-ups should be performed by a professional. Performing Preventative Maintenance For the most part, preventative maintenance includes tasks that you should be doing with your HVAC on a regular basis. This process essentially has you inspecting system components, replacing filters, and lubricating parts. A few examples of preventative maintenance tasks for the homeowner include:   ●      Checking For Oil Leaks ●      Lubricating Motors And Bearings ●      Replacing Filters ●      Inspecting The Thermostat ●      Testing The Safety Controls ●      Inspecting The Compressor It's a good rule of thumb to perform these maintenance tasks every two to three months. Depending on various factors, such as the number of pets you have, you may find that you'll need to perform some of these tasks more often. For example, filter changes are going to be required more often for homeowners with lots of pets and children. Scheduling Seasonal Tune-Ups Apart from doing your normal home HVAC maintenance, you'll want to schedule yourself a seasonal tune-up. This is when a professional comes out to your home to inspect, clean, and assess your entire HVAC system. It's not recommended to do this type of tune-up yourself if you're not experienced in the HVAC industry. Here are some of the common tasks that your HVAC professional will perform during your seasonal tune-up:

Maintenance in Summer Summer is heating up and hopefully; your HVAC system is cooling your home down. Make sure your HVAC unit keeps functioning correctly and cost-effectively by performing a little preventative maintenance. These five easy steps should keep your air conditioner running and your energy costs low. Replace Filters Replacing a dirty HVAC filter can reduce energy consumption by as much as 15%. A dirty filter also makes your unit work harder, which can lead to a breakdown. Most experts agree that filters should be changed at least every quarter. Change filters monthly if your system is in constant use. Clean filters also improve the quality of air in your home. If anyone in your home has allergies or if you have pets, you may want to change HVAC filters more often. Be sure to match the MERV rating of the filter you are replacing. Clean Up Cleaning your air conditioner and cleaning around it will ensure plenty of airflow. You can do this by cleaning out the drainage hole at the base of the unit. Vacuum the fins on the side of your air conditioner with the brush attachment on your shop vac. Remove leaves, debris, and plants from around your air conditioner. Turn your unit off before cleaning. The electrical disconnect box should be located close to your outside unit.

One of the worst discoveries you can encounter during the summer is a broken air conditioner. Even just one day without relief from the scorching heat is unthinkable, and you might not even be sure where to begin identifying the problem or how to fix it.