Homeowners who have never called an HVAC technician for work, or for the specific type of work they need now, may wonder what happens during the service call. What should you expect from your HVAC technician, and what will they expect from you? Here’s our guide on what to expect when your technician arrives to work, depending on the type of work.
Furnace and Other Installations
A furnace or air conditioner installation is one of the more involved jobs your HVAC technician might need to do. Usually, they take a day, but especially complicated furnace installation may take more. Typically, most of the time is taken up by removing the old furnace and its connections. Here’s a short step-by-step:
Set-up: Your technician will set up for the job by confirming details with you if they haven’t already. Then, they will protect your floors, move furniture, and ensure there is proper access to the old furnace or old air conditioner.
Removal: The old equipment has to be disconnected from its supply, intake, and exhaust. This can take some time for furnaces.
New insertion: Now, your new furnace needs to be placed. If it is going into a different spot, some adjustments may have to be made. Gas lines may need to be extended, and adjustments might have to be made to your ductwork. Plus, all furnaces must also be connected to your electrical line as they have some electrical components.
Testing: Your HVAC technician should not leave until they have thoroughly tested the system, for safety and for performance.
Air Conditioner and Other Repairs
Repairs are always more unexpected work than installations. Even if your technician has a fairly good idea of what might be wrong with your air conditioner or another HVAC unit that is being repaired, they can never be quite sure until they see it in person. Still, here’s what you should expect in general:
Inspection: Your HVAC technician will arrive to inspect the HVAC unit. If it is a central air system, they will need to inspect both the indoor and outdoor components. They will run some tests and use equipment to assess what is going on.
Consult: Once they know what needs to be done, they will speak to you about it and provide you with a quote. A technician should never start making repairs before you agree to them.
Making the repair: The repair process can vary dramatically. During the initial consultation they will walk you through what a repair will look like for your specific situation.
You can find more information about what to expect during an HVAC service call on our pages about the specific service, or by contacting your Dows Climate Care for professional advice that is unique to your situation.
