7 Ways To Prepare Your Home For An Air Conditioning Service | Dallas, TX
Photo By atakan at istock
Keeping your home in good condition isn’t easy. Everything needs to be maintained, from the plumbing to the HVAC system. However, you’ll find that if you diligently get regular maintenance and services, you’ll be able to greatly reduce the number of repairs that you’ll need in the future. You’ll also improve your quality of living in the home and also improve its market value, as it’ll be a lot more attractive to potential buyers in the future when you put it up on the market.
Most experts recommend getting your air conditioning system serviced at least once a year. The air conditioning service ensures that every component is working smoothly. The service technician will also be able to catch signs of premature wear and tear and prevent the problem from getting worse.
In most cases, an air conditioning service is a fairly simple and straightforward process. The air conditioning technician will be in and out of your home within several hours at most. In some cases, they might be able to get the job done even quicker if the AC system is new or if you have been very diligent in maintaining it. With that said, here are 7 different ways that you can prepare for the service, so it goes even more smoothly.
#1. Talk About the Specifics Ahead of Time
When you call a Dallas, TX HVAC company for an air conditioning service, you’re likely purchasing a certain package. In short, while the types of things that the technician will need to do will vary slightly depending on the type, make and model of the AC system that you have, most of the things that they’ll need to do will be fairly similar. Some of the things that are included in an air conditioning service are:
- Cleaning the existing air filters and replacing them as needed. This would be a great time to talk about the different types of air filters that are out there, and whether the air filter that you have matches your needs.
- Inspecting the indoor and outdoor coils for damage. These parts are actually quite fragile and can easily become damaged.
- Checking for wear and adding more lubrication or refrigerant in the system. When it comes to the refrigerant, the air conditioning service technician will want to check not only whether the refrigerant is at an appropriate level, but also whether there are any leaks.
- Testing and checking the thermostat to see whether it is operating properly. In particular, the air conditioning service technician will want to re-calibrate the system in order to ensure that the AC system is working properly. If there is something wrong with the thermostat, it could throw the entire AC system off.
By talking about the specifics ahead of time, you’ll get a better idea of what to expect and what you’ll get on the day of. You’ll also be able to get a better idea of how long the air conditioning service may be. While it is a good idea to have at least one adult at home to supervise the service and to answer any pertinent questions, you might want to ask other people to go or a walk or to get out of the house, for the time being, so the technicians have enough room and space to work without getting disrupted.
#2. Free Up Parking Space
You’d be surprised at just how many people do not free up any parking space for the air conditioning service technicians. This might mean that the technician may have to park several streets down and walk to your home. This might mean that they’ll need to make several trips if there is any heavy equipment or tools that they need. It may also mean that the service will take a lot longer than expected.
One of the best things that you can do to prepare for the technician is to free up parking space. Move your vehicles around, so that there’s enough room for the technician to park in your driveway. If possible, create a clear pathway from the driveway to the entrance of your home to the HVAC unit.
#3. Clear a Path and Cover-Up Furniture
After clearing up a parking space for the technician, consider clearing a path for the technician, so they can easily get around your home. You want to make sure that there’s a clear path from the entrance to the HVAC system and to the various vents. The air conditioning service technician will likely want to check out all of the vents and ducts during the service to ensure that there’s no blockage or issues that affect only certain parts of the AC system.
Another thing that can make the service go a lot more smoothly is to cover up any furniture or any surfaces that could potentially get dirty with a cloth. This ensures that the technician will be able to get around the house with fewer worries. They won’t have to worry that they’ll accidentally bump into any furniture or scratch it. If the technician needs to work on any of the vents or ducts, the repairs or service could also potentially get quite messy. By covering up all of the surfaces, you will make the cleanup a lot easier.
Provide the Technician with a Map or Blueprint
Another thing that you can do to make the technician’s job a lot easier is if you provide them with a map or blueprint of your home. Let the technician know not only where the AC system is located, but also where all of the vents and the ducts can be found. This will also help the technician ensure that they aren’t missing anything during the service.
#4. Cover the Floors
A very common concern that many homeowners may have is whether their floors will get scratched up or dirtied during the service. After all, the air conditioning service technician will need to move around quite a bit. They may need to go outdoors to check out the unit there and then go back indoors; thus, increasing the risk of trekking mud from your yard into your home. Most service technicians will wear some type of shoe cover whenever they go inside your home; however, you can also prepare for the air conditioning service by covering the floors with some type of mat.
If you don’t have a floor mat, you can try covering the floor with some type of plastic bag, a tarp, or newspaper. Tape down the edges so that the covering won’t move around. You can also cover the floor with more than one layer of the covering if it’s thin. For example, if you’re using newspaper, consider covering the floor with more than one layer of newspaper. Do note that the carbon on the newspaper can transfer on the floor, so you might need to wash it later after the air conditioning service technician leaves your home.
For those who don’t have any floor coverings at home at all, it’s a wise idea to speak with the HVAC company ahead of time. They may be able to provide you with some materials to use. Some HVAC companies may ask that you leave this job to them, as they may have a particular setup that they use in order to make the cleanup process as simple as possible.
#5. Provide a Washroom or a Place to Clean Up
The technician will likely need to clean up while they’re at your home. One easy thing that you can do is to provide a washroom or a place for them to clean up. Remove all of your valuables from the area to avoid misplacing anything. You might also want to set out some new towels for the technician, as their hands can get quite dirty. Let the technicians know which washrooms are available to them when they arrive.
Make sure that the washroom has plenty of toilet paper, soap, and other sanitary items and products. It’s also a good idea to have some disinfecting wipes or gels.
#6. Provide Refreshments
This isn’t something that you have to do; however, many homeowners will want to show their appreciation by offering some refreshments to the service technician. Not all service technicians may be comfortable with accepting home-cooked food, so you might want to head to the store and grab some pre-packaged snacks for them. It’s always a good idea to have some different options to choose from, but the service technicians will appreciate the sentiment even if they don’t end up eating any of the refreshments that you’ve provided for them.
The same can be said for water. A bottle of water may be better than a glass of water because the service technicians will be able to easily bring the bottle of water with them wherever they go. They’ll also be able to close the bottle when they’re not drinking from it to prevent any contaminants from getting into the water. They’ll also be able to take the refreshments and water with them when they leave! It makes it much easier for you to clean up as well since you won’t have to wash any cups or dishes.
#7. Get the Payment Ready
Last but not least, get the payment ready. Each HVAC company will accept different forms of payment. In most cases, you’ll be expected to pay for the air conditioning service upfront; however, some HVAC companies are more than willing to set up some type of payment plan or financing option, especially if you’ll be needing more HVAC services from them.
If you’re planning on paying for the payment upfront, you should ask the HVAC company about the type of payment methods that they accept. While some HVAC companies are more than happy to accept cash, others will require that you pay by credit card or debit card. Some HVAC companies may be willing to accept some type of bank transfer.
Another thing to note is that some air conditioning service technicians will ask that you pay them at the end of everything while others will ask that you pay them before they begin. It’s always a good idea to speak with the air conditioning service technician over the phone before they arrive, so you know what they expect. This will also streamline the entire process, so everything goes smoothly and so the technician will be in and out of your home in no time.
Call Us for Air Conditioning Services in Dallas, TX
You’ll be surprised at just how much of a difference it can be to get air conditioning services in Dallas, TX regularly. Dallas, TX offers residences a fairly warm and hot climate, and many homeowners will find themselves reaching for the AC remote control during the summer. As a result, most AC systems get a lot of wear and usage. By regularly servicing the AC system, you can rest assured that it will last for as long as possible, so you won’t need to fork over a fortune to get a new AC system installed prematurely. You’ll also notice that the AC system will do a better job at keeping your home at a reasonable climate and temperature.
There are many different HVAC companies in the area where you can get air conditioning services for; however, you should really check One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas out if possible. Our qualified and licensed technicians have a lot of experience in working with all types of AC systems, from ductless units to central AC systems. They’ll be able to quickly inspect the unit and also complete all of the maintenance jobs within a reasonable timeframe. More importantly, we offer some of the most competitive prices in Dallas, TX.
For more information, give us a call at 682-269-2786. We offer not only air conditioning services, but also emergency HVAC services. You can rest assured that you’re in good hands.