Owning a home is an exciting opportunity to create a living space that meets your needs and fits your lifestyle. An inevitable part of homeownership, however, is the occasional maintenance required to keep everything in working order.
With easy access to YouTube and thousands of other resources on the internet, many homeowners choose to “DIY” their home projects to save money. No matter how handy you may be, there are certain tasks for which you should hire a professional, including home heating and cooling maintenance.
Although it’s tempting to grab your toolbox and tinker with your equipment when it’s underperforming or broken down, we’ve outlined a few reasons below about why you should always hire a professional service technician to maintain your system, as well as a few simple tasks you can do on your own to keep your equipment in top shape between service appointments.
Safety
At Bears Home Solutions, our top priority is the safety of our customers and our staff. Because home heating and cooling equipment involves high electrical voltage, toxic fumes, hazardous chemicals, and flammable gases, attempting to fix it on your own is dangerous if you are not properly trained to handle the equipment.
When you hire a professional service technician, you are bringing in a person who went through many hours of instruction to learn how to navigate these risky conditions to maintain your system safely and efficiently.
Knowledge and Experience
In addition to safety protocols, professional service technicians know how to maneuver the intricate parts and configurations of all types of heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment. Boilers heat your home differently than furnaces. Central air conditioners differ from ductless mini split systems. Air filters, air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers all maintain indoor air quality in their own way.
However, knowledge about different heating and cooling products doesn’t come from simple trial and error. Technicians must obtain certification through a trade school or apprenticeship program to be qualified to work with these complex systems. They also go through additional training when developers debut new heating and cooling technology. Whatever equipment controls temperatures and reduces airborne pollutants in your home, service technicians are equipped with the special tools and experience to optimize your system’s performance.
Cost Savings
Hiring a professional maintenance technician to inspect your heating and cooling equipment at least once a year will save you money in the long run – especially if you sign up for a preventative maintenance program like Bear Care that gives you the opportunity to schedule routine maintenance in advance and receive discounts on services.
When routine maintenance is automatically on the calendar every year, it saves you the psychological responsibility of remembering to call for regular inspections of your equipment. Additionally, preventative maintenance keeps your energy bills low because a technician adjusts potential issues before they begin, allowing your system to operate at energy-efficient levels.
DIY Maintenance Tasks
If you are a homeowner who wants to take an active role in your heating and cooling maintenance, there are a few simple tasks you can do between service appointments to keep your system in top shape:
- Check your air filters once a month
- Clean your home regularly to keep dust and other indoor air pollutants at bay
- Keep your vents open and clear of furniture or other debris
- Change your thermostat batteries once a year
If you are looking for a company you can trust to maintain your home’s heating and cooling system, look no further than Bears Home Solutions. Our expert techncians have been servicing homes throughout the Red River Valley for over 40 years. Contact us today to make an appointment!