By Rick Hatch, Owner of R&W Heating Energy Solutions, LLC
So, you had a new heating or cooling system installed. Now the million-dollar question…should you have a yearly tune-up of your new equipment? Some folks (professionals and others alike) believe that new equipment runs so clean and is so efficient that they do not require an annual tune-up. While there could be some truth to this belief, every A/C, gas, or oil system should be serviced each year.
We prefer the terms annual “maintenance” or “tune-up”, over annual “cleaning”. The term “cleaning” insinuates that the system operates in a dirty fashion. Most quality systems run extremely clean, albeit there are many outside influences that can make them dirty. Newer equipment is high tech, high efficiency, and if installed correctly, may not require a yearly “cleaning”, per say. So why is it important to have an annual maintenance?
This new heating or cooling system is an investment, and it possibly came with a warranty. If this is the case, some warranties require an annual maintenance be performed every year to keep it valid. Let’s say you have no warranty, or older equipment – most boilers, furnaces, or A/C systems can see an increase in its’ efficiency by about 10% after a tune-up. Yearly service allows a technician to check for proper operation of all system components – fuel pumps, burners, exhaust flues, blowers, bearings, flame sensors, pilots, neutralizers, manifold pressures, and more! The annual maintenance is when fuel filters, air filters, and nozzles are checked and changed. Whether your system is gas or oil, this yearly service gives a technician the chance to identify any signs of wear and tear, or areas of concern. Early, proactive responses prevent all sorts of unexpected expenses and situations. Let’s say your system has a gas leak – if a yearly tune-up is performed, this potential health and safety issue becomes less of a threat to your loved ones. What about an oil leak? While more of an environmental risk, a yearly service that identifies a weak spot in an oil tank or drip from a filter is much less expensive to address than waking up to an oily mess in your basement!
Don’t wait to buy a snow blower in a snow storm! Get established with a service provider before you need them! What’s the best way to avoid unexpected breakdowns? The best way to maintain your equipment’s highest operating efficiency? The best way to build a working relationship with your contractor and receive the best service? An annual maintenance!
At R&W Heating Energy Solutions, LLC, we are a family owned and operated business. We employ highly motivated, experienced, and dependable technicians, with a combined experience of over 70 years in the HVAC field. We welcome your calls and questions, and invite you to stop in our office and meet our team – son, daughter, nephew, and our nine other employees who have become part of our family!