What to Expect From an HVAC Visit

Never had an HVAC technician out before? Repairs, replacements and tune-ups all follow much the same path. Know the stages and get the house ready, and the visit goes smoother for everyone.

The Stages of an HVAC Job

The middle stages stretch out on a replacement and shrink on a tune-up, but the order holds.

1. The First Call

   Call us or send a request through the booking form. Tell us what the system is doing, and we will set a day for a technician to come out.

2. Putting the Problem Into Words

   Say what you notice, when it started, and whether it’s the cooling, the heat or both. Mention anything that changed lately, like a power flicker, a new thermostat or a storm. If the furnace has a blinking light behind the little window in its lower panel, count the blinks: it’s an error code.

3. The Visit and the Diagnosis

   The technician walks through the home, tests the equipment and explains the findings. A diagnostic visit generally means panels off and meters out: capacitor and contactor readings, refrigerant pressures, the temperature drop across the coil, airflow and static pressure, the drain line and, on a furnace, the ignitor, flame sensor and burners.

4. The Decision

   Each customer gets a straight diagnosis and a clear explanation of the options before we start any work. Often that’s repair versus replace; sometimes it’s which of two repairs comes first. Ask about any word you don’t know: trade terms like SEER2 and tonnage all have plain meanings.

5. The Work

   A repair can be a quick part swap, like a capacitor or an ignitor, or a longer hunt, like tracing a refrigerant leak. A replacement is a bigger day: installers generally set the new outdoor unit, change the indoor coil and the furnace or air handler, connect the refrigerant lines, wiring and drain, and fit the ductwork to the new equipment.

6. Testing

   Before a job is called done, the system generally runs through full cycles while the technician checks the temperature split, refrigerant charge, airflow, drain flow and thermostat control, plus the flame and safety switches on the heat side.

7. The Finished Job

   You should know what was fixed or installed, anything found along the way and what to keep an eye on, such as the filter. Keep a note of the date and the equipment’s model numbers with your house papers.

Get the House Ready for the Technician

A few minutes of prep saves time on the visit. The technician needs room to work in two places: at the indoor unit and at the outdoor unit.

• The indoor unit: in many Houston homes the furnace or air handler sits in the attic, reached by a pull-down ladder in a hallway or the garage. Clear the floor under the hatch and check that the attic light works. If the unit lives in a closet or the garage, move stored boxes, brooms and the vacuum out of the way.
• The outdoor unit: clear a few feet around the condenser. Move the grill, bikes and toys, trim back shrubs and unlock the side gate.
• The thermostat and the filter: leave the thermostat as it was when the trouble showed up, and know where the filter goes, whether that’s a return grille in a hallway or ceiling or a slot by the indoor unit.
• The model labels: the outdoor unit’s label is on a side panel, and the indoor unit’s is often on the cabinet or just inside its door. Photograph what you can see without tools; the model and serial numbers show the system’s age and the parts it takes.
• Pets: keep dogs inside or in a closed room while gates are open and people come and go.

Get on the Schedule

House ready and notes in hand? Book online or give us a call, and mention anything from your list that will help the technician.