Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure. Proper maintenance is the most important step you can take in maintaining your homes heating and cooling systems.

The following outlines the steps that UGI Heating, Cooling and Plumbing takes to ensure that you maximize the service life of your heating and cooling equipment.

Heating-specific:

Check all gas (or oil) connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger.
Improperly operating gas (or oil) connections are a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems. A dirty burner or cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation. Either can cause the equipment to operate less safely and efficiently.

We verify that the gas fired equipment we service is operating properly by measuring the products of combustion with sophisticated combustion analyzers. This ensures that when we leave your home, equipment is firing properly and carbon monoxide levels are within manufacturer’s specifications. Equipment that is not firing properly may produce excess carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, a colorless odorless gas, could be hazardous or fatal if it gets into the breathable air in the home. This safety check helps protect everyone in the home from exposure to carbon monoxide.

Cooling-Specific:

Clean indoor and outdoor coils before warm weather starts.
A dirty coil reduces the system’s ability to cool your home and causes the system to run longer, costing you more energy dollars and decreasing the life of your equipment.

Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant charge and adjust it if necessary to make sure it meets manufacturer specifications.
Too much or too little refrigerant charge can damage the compressor, reducing the life of your equipment and increasing costs.

Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow.
Proper airflow over the indoor coil is necessary for efficient equipment operation and reliability.

Check thermostat settings to ensure the heating and cooling system turns on and off at the programmed temperature.

Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors.
Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.

Lubricate all moving parts.
Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors to increase the amount of electricity you use. It can also cause equipment to wear out more quickly, requiring more frequent repairs or replacements.

Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode).
If plugged, the drain can cause water damage in the house, affect indoor humidity levels, and breed mold and bacteria.

Check system controls to ensure proper and safe operation.
Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.

Inspect, clean or change air filter in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump.
A dirty filter causes energy costs to be greater than they should be and can damage your equipment, leading to early failures.