HVAC Service Price Guide

With the heat being rather unpredictable this year, finding out that your HVAC unit is on the fritz during a heatwave is less than ideal. With regular maintenance, the odds of your system breaking down are slim, but it can still happen. There are a few things you can do to help the prevent large cost to replace your HVAC unit and what to expect if an AC repair is needed.

Preventative Maintenance

The main way to prevent high AC repair costs and to ensure your unit is running at its highest efficiency is to keep up with regular maintenance. Here at Bill Howe Heating & Air, we are experts in HVAC systems and can help you avoid the hefty cost to replace your unit by providing air conditioner maintenance. We offer annual maintenance packages and each package offers two tune-ups. One tune-up will be used to make sure the air conditioning portion of your HVAC system is in the best condition, the other will do the same for the heating elements.  During the tune-up, a thorough inspection will be conducted as well as the following items:

• Checking the blower motor
• Inspecting and cleaning the condenser coil
• Inspect the indoor evaporator coil
• Check the condensate drain
• Make sure the thermostat is operating properly
• Monitor refrigerant levels
• Check electrical wiring
• Inspect the fan blade
• Cleaning the condenser coil
• Inspect the ductwork for any tears 
• Change the filter, if necessary

If a certified Bill Howe technician notices anything amiss during these inspections, they will go over it with you and present what your options may be as well as provide an average cost of what needs to be fixed.  By catching the problem early, you reduce the risk of a high replacement cost down the line.

Perform Your Own Maintenance

Perform your own maintenance to keep your HVAC system running optimally in between tune-ups and to keep your duct elements and air conditioning and heating units free of debris. First, clean your system’s filter. If you have an electronic air filter, simply remove the filter and rinse it off in the sink or with a hose outside. If you have just the filter that is incorporated into your HVAC unit, make sure to replace it every 3 months. If you use your HVAC system often or have pets, you may need to replace it monthly.  By doing a monthly filter replacement, you’ll avoid a large AC repair cost and maintenance cost down the line. 

Clean the Outdoor Unit

At least once a year, you should make time to clean the outdoor portion of your AC unit.  First, remove any debris, leaves, grass or weeds that have accumulated on, underneath or on top of the unit. Make sure your HVAC system has a clear area around it in order to run properly. Once you remove the larger debris, use a vacuum to carefully remove the dust from the condenser fins. The condenser fins are the metallic pieces that encapsulate the entire outdoor AC unit. Be careful not to bend any of the fins as this would affect how efficiently the system runs. Next, remove the grille and fan from the top of the unit. Carefully do this to make sure that the electrical connections stay in place on the fan. Use a damp cloth to carefully clean the fan and set it to the side. Using medium pressure from a hose, rinse the condenser fins from the inside of the unit.  When the unit is dry, return the fan and grille back in place and secure them.

To avoid being caught off-guard with a high replacement cost for your unit, call 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) to set up an air conditioner maintenance appointment with an experienced Bill Howe HVAC technician.