4 Top Tips to Make the Most of Your HVAC Service Visit
Discover how to prep your space, ask the right questions, and take advantage of digital tools to make the most of any HVAC service visit.
By Anne Fonda
Most of us take our home heating and cooling systems for granted. But we shouldn’t, because it’s crucial to our comfort and well-being. By staying on top of maintenance, working with trusted HVAC professionals, and taking advantage of smart diagnostics, you can save money and prolong the life of your HVAC system.
To optimize your HVAC service visit and your home comfort, follow these tips.
#1: Prep your space
This may sound silly, but make sure your house number is easily visible from the street. Have it on the mailbox, mailbox post, or curb. Make it easy for the HVAC technician to confirm they’re in the right place.
Inside your home, clear away boxes or anything else that blocks the indoor unit. You know they need to get to the unit. Don’t wait until they arrive to move things out of the way.
Keep your pets confined.
Outside, remove any decorative fence you have around the air conditioner or heat pump. Trim any bushes or grass two feet away from the unit. Clean up any dog doo in your yard if the HVAC service involves your outdoor unit.
#2: Be responsive and understanding
Many HVAC companies will send you a text or give you a call to let you know when the technician is on the way to your service appointment. If the text requires confirmation, please respond. If you have a “silence unknown callers” feature on your phone, disable it the day of the visit.
An HVAC technician may call you to confirm their arrival. If you get a phone call, please answer. This is the company’s way of ensuring that you are home and prepared for their arrival. Don’t leave your home when you have an appointment in the next 15 minutes. They could be early.
Once an HVAC technician is on site, they may find a problem with your system that requires a new part. Please know that while technicians may carry common parts such as capacitors and condensate drain tubes, they may need to go to a supply warehouse or schedule a second visit to replace larger parts such as an evaporator coil or condenser coil.
#3: Be prepared to ask questions, but don’t micromanage
Just like when you go to the doctor, be prepared to ask questions. The technician should arrive at your home with a clear idea of what is needed, but they may ask you questions about when the problem started, if you have noticed specific things, and more.
After they have examined the unit and done some troubleshooting, you can ask some questions. Things like, what is the problem? Can you fix it today? How can I prevent the problem from happening again? These are all good starting points.
Even if you’ve done your research and you think you know what the problem is, leave the diagnosis to the trained HVAC technician. There is no need to hang out looking over their shoulder as they work on your HVAC equipment.
#4: Take advantage of digital tools to enable better insights
If you have a Trane smart thermostat, enable remote monitoring and dealer diagnostics through the Home App. This enables your dealer to do troubleshooting from their office before sending an HVAC technician to your home. The technician has access to the HVAC troubleshooting and HVAC diagnostics via the Trane Technician App.
Having this knowledge means the technician will arrive with the right parts and tools. This can save you and the HVAC company time and money. Learn more about the advantages of a smart HVAC system.
While all four of these tips come into play with any HVAC service visit, there are other things you can do to make sure each type of visit goes smoothly. HVAC maintenance, HVAC repair, and HVAC replacement are all a little different.
HVAC maintenance
Make sure you do regular DIY HVAC maintenance, such as changing the air filter every 30-90 days and keeping shrubbery, vines, and other items off of and 2 ft. away from the outdoor unit. This will help airflow and can help prolong the life of your heating and air conditioning system. A clogged air filter can cause big problems, such as a frozen evaporator coil.
“With the Trane Home App and Trane smart thermostats, homeowners can set reminders for their air filter replacement and even order the filters through their app, as well as see if their system has raised any alert codes that they can pass to their dealer, even if they aren't physically at the thermostat.”
-Caitlin Butler, Product Manager, Thermostats and Home App
Schedule professional HVAC maintenance every spring and fall, before cooling season starts, and again before heating season starts. Regular AC, heat pump, and furnace tune-ups can help keep your system running at peak performance. Expect a maintenance visit to last 1-2 hours. It could be less, and it could be more, depending on your system(s) and their condition.
Learn more about HVAC maintenance.
- What Is an HVAC Maintenance Plan?
- Home AC Maintenance Cost
- Refrigerant Recharge Pricing Guide
- What Is a Furnace Tune-Up?
HVAC repair
In addition to clearing the area around your indoor unit or outdoor unit, make sure you are prepared to be at home for the duration of the HVAC repair call. Some visits can be quick and easy, such as replacing an AC capacitor, while other repairs can take several hours, such as replacing an evaporator coil.
Read more about HVAC repair costs and whether it might be time for HVAC replacement.
- Average Heat Pump Repair Costs
- Average AC Repair Costs
- Average Furnace Repair Costs
- 4 Warning Signs It’s Time for AC Replacement
- 5 Warning Signs It’s Time for Heat Pump Replacement
- 5 Warning Signs It’s Time for Furnace Replacement
To help you determine if expensive repairs are worth it or if replacing a unit or the HVAC system is the more cost-effective solution, check out our Repair or Replace Guide.
HVAC replacement
HVAC replacement requires a little extra prepping of your space. Since the HVAC installers will be removing large pieces of equipment and bringing new, large equipment back in, you’ll want to choose which entrance they use. Remove any floor mats or area rugs and clear a wide path. This may include moving small tables, decorative items, and even wall art.
You can ask the installation team to wear shoe coverings/booties inside your house if you’re worried about them tracking in mud, snow, etc.
Learn more about HVAC replacement.
- Homeowner’s HVAC Replacement Guide
- HVAC Replacement: Top 5 Things to Consider Before Signing a Contract
- HVAC Financing and How It Works
Visit our Pricing Guide for an idea of what a new HVAC system might cost. Be sure to visit our Savings & Offers page as well to see the many ways you can save when buying a new system.
Work with the HVAC experts
Whatever HVAC service you need, your local Trane dealer is standing by to help you maximize your home comfort. Reach out today.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Caitlin Butler, Product Manager, Thermostats and Home App
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