HVAC 101: Teaching Clients How To Maintain A Heating System Between Service Visits

The colder months are quickly approaching, which means it’s almost time to turn the heat on. While field service technicians strive to provide and install a high-quality heating system, homeowners must upkeep them to ensure durability. Teaching your field service clients how to properly maintain their heating systems between visits is necessary to make a heating system long-lasting.

What to tell clients when teaching them how to maintain a heating system between service visits:

Conveying the importance of checking the heat pump

While field service workers provide a tune-up twice a year, tell clients to check on their heating system. Communicating how to decipher common issues that can be quickly and independently solved versus identifying when to call a technician for help is key. The most common issues surrounding a heating system relate to it not heating up. Tell your client that if this issue arises, the unit may be blocked or the filter could be dirty. When the unit is blocked, remove the object obstructing the heater and clear the surrounding area. If dirty, proceed by removing, cleaning, and replacing the filter. These can be done without involving a technician. However, if there are still issues after, involve a technician.

Identifying bad smells

Clients should be told that odors can signify issues with a heating system. Two common smells that cause heater issues are musty odors and burning smells. Disclose that mold growth in a heating system happens because water vapor is in a warm space. If the mold problem is new, they can make a detergent, baking soda, and water mixture or purchase a mold serum. They will then get proper safety apparel, being sure to cover their eyes, mouth, and hands, and scrub the mold with the mixture. If mold growth is thick and blanketing the heating system, call a field service worker instead. Another issue that is identifiable by smell is a clogged air filter. As discussed above, this may be a sign that your filter is in need of a clean. Remove the dirty filter and simply replace it with a new one to eliminate this problem.

Being mindful of the vents

Customers will know if there are issues with the thermostat based on the vents. One issue that can arise is the vents expelling cold air. Sometimes the solutions to these issues are simple, other times they are not. First, teach them to simply check their thermostat to ensure it is on auto the desired temperature is set. Next, call in an expert to check the pilot light. Explaining that if this is out, it could signify deeper issues with the heating system that require field service workers is important. Gas could still be pumping, even though the heating system is not functioning, and potentially cause an explosion.

All in all, field service technicians should convey to homeowners the importance of simply checking in on their heating system. If they are proactive about taking preventative measures and keep an eye out for potential problems, it saves technicians and homeowners much trouble. 

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