If you could look at the readings, you would see most failures coming a season in advance. A capacitor measuring 8 percent under its rating in spring is the one that fails in the first heat wave. A system bleeding refrigerant through a pinhole leak keeps running, weaker each week, until the coil freezes solid. A furnace flame sensor fouls slowly and then locks the system out on a frigid night. That is the whole point of maintenance for Mount Vernon, WA homeowners: find the problem while it is a trend, and fix it on a calm weekday instead of in an emergency.
The repairs homeowners call us about most are AC Repair and Furnace Repair. Start there if your system isn't running right.
Warning Signs for HVAC Maintenance
The sooner you notice these red flags, the easier and cheaper the fix. Watch for these telltale signs:
- Energy bills creeping up without any change in your habits
- A failure last year that seemed to come out of nowhere
- Cooling or heating that takes noticeably longer to reach the setpoint
- Recently installed equipment whose manufacturer expects maintenance records
- Uncertainty about whether your system is in good shape or on borrowed time
- A filter you cannot recall replacing, or a musty odor at blower startup
- It has been more than a year since anyone opened the equipment
- The system sounds different at startup than it did last season
Early Action Saves Money
A failing capacitor, clogged condensate drain, or dirty flame sensor rarely fixes itself and usually gets more expensive to address the longer it runs. Call (425) 969-4226 at the first sign of trouble.
