Spring AC Tune-Ups
An air conditioner in Troy sits idle from fall to late spring, then gets asked to run hard the first humid week. A spring checkup finds the weak capacitor, the worn contactor or the clogged drain line before that first hot stretch.
We look over the thermostat, the electrical parts, both fan motors, the refrigerant pressures, the drain and the filter, and we clean the outdoor coil. If a part is on its way out, we tell you what it is and let you decide.
Fall Heating Checkups
The heating season here is long. A furnace or boiler that works fine in October still has five or six months of cold ahead of it. A fall checkup is the time to find a cracked igniter, a dirty flame sensor or a boiler control that is starting to act up.
- Gas furnaces. Burners, igniter, flame sensor, inducer and blower motors, filter, venting and safety switches.
- Steam boilers. Water level, the low-water cutoff, the pressure control, and the main and radiator vents.
- Hot water boilers. System pressure, the expansion tank, the circulator pump and the relief valve.
- Heat pumps. Defrost operation, refrigerant, the outdoor coil and the backup heat settings.
Book a tune-up in Troy.
Call (838) 884-0024Radiator Systems Need Attention Too
Radiator heat is quiet and even when it is set up right, and it lasts. It also has parts that need looking after. On a steam system, radiator and main vents clog and stick, the water level has to be right, and the low-water cutoff has to work. A hot water system needs the right pressure, a working expansion tank and air bled out of the high points.
About 72 percent of Troy homes heat with natural gas, most of it through furnaces and boilers that run from fall into spring. The heating season here is long, with the Albany station averaging about 136 days a year that drop to freezing or below. A system that starts that season in good shape is less likely to quit in the middle of January.
National Grid also recommends having fuel-burning appliances and chimneys checked at least once a year. Its carbon monoxide safety page covers the warning signs.
When to Schedule
Spring for cooling, fall for heating. If you only do one, do the one for the system you depend on most. For most Troy houses that is the heat. Carbon monoxide alarms matter any time a gas or oil appliance is in the house. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's carbon monoxide guidance covers where to put them and how often to test them.
Tune-Up Questions
Is an AC tune-up worth it?
For most homes, yes. Once a year we look over the parts that fail most in a heat wave, like capacitors, contactors, fan motors and the drain line, and we clean the coils. Catching a weak part in May is easier than losing cooling in a July heat wave.
What does an AC tune-up include?
We check the thermostat, the electrical parts and connections, the capacitor and contactor, both fan motors, the refrigerant pressures, the condensate drain and the filter. We also clean the outdoor coil and look over the indoor coil.
How often should an AC be serviced?
Once a year is the usual schedule for central air. In the Capital Region, spring is the time to do it, before the first hot stretch.
When should I get my boiler or furnace checked?
In the fall, before the first cold snap. Troy heating systems run for many months each year, and a check before the season is the best time to find a worn part.
Does my radiator system need yearly service?
Steam and hot water systems do better with attention before winter. For steam, that means the water level, the low-water cutoff, the pressure control and the radiator vents. For hot water, that means the pressure, the expansion tank and the circulator. Radiators that heat unevenly are often a vent or air problem that shows up at a fall checkup.
Do I need a tune-up if I have central air and a boiler?
They are two separate systems with two separate seasons. The air conditioner gets checked in spring and the boiler in fall. We can do both.
Does an AC tune-up include cleaning the coils?
Yes. We rinse the outdoor coil and check the indoor coil. A dirty coil makes the system work harder and is a common reason an AC struggles on hot days.