During the coldest months of the year, the HVAC technicians in the northern states are rarely able to enjoy a moment’s peace. The workload escalates as the temperatures grown cooler, and doesn’t let up until the spring winds start to blow.  The exact opposite is true in the south, where many technicians are finding themselves in very high demand at the moment.  There have been temperatures of 120 degrees reported in some areas, so you can be sure that people reach a point of near desperation when cooling systems fails.  Emergency calls are certainly not unusual during this time of the year, and they will continue throughout the summer months.

Many of these calls could have been prevented with an off-season system check-up.  People don’t always think about their HVAC equipment until it is needed.  The problem isn’t caught until the system is running and suddenly fails.  Repairs likely would have been less expensive in the off-season and before more damage was done.  There are a few things that are recommended by HVAC technicians for those who want to avoid the need for emergency calls:

1. Call a technician in during the shoulder months (between the heating and cooling seasons). This is a great time to have everything checked, cleaned, and repaired (if necessary).
2. Keep in mind the age of the system. If you have a cooling system on your property that is twenty years old, you should be aware that problems are more likely to occur.  It could also be costing you a great deal more in monthly utility payments, because older systems are far less efficient that new ones.  Plan ahead for the replacement of the system, so you aren’t faced with an unexpected expense.
3. Consider sensors and controls that can ease the burden on the system. Very often the emergency calls lead to technicians finding burnt up components.  Thermostats, outdoor air temperature sensors, and other such system add-ons can help to ensure that the system isn’t overworked when the temperatures are more moderate or when the space is unoccupied.