If we had to select the best month for scheduling heating maintenance in Plattsburgh, NY, it would be October. There is no truly bad month for heating maintenance: it’s important that it gets done each year, so having it later or earlier is better than never. But October is when you’ll get the most from having professionals inspect and tune-up your heating system.
Why is this? For one, it’s in the “Golden Zone” where it’s early enough to beat out the first serious cold weather of the year but late enough that the heater will be in prime shape for when those cold snaps first make their chilling debut. It’s also a time of year when HVAC technicians like ours have less crammed schedules because we aren’t dealing with as many emergency calls for failed ACs or heaters. You can schedule maintenance for the most convenient time.

Fall is almost here—it may already be here by the time you read this—and people will start looking forward to their end of the year plans. But this is also a time to reflect on the summer, and in our case, that means reflecting on
At the end of the summer is when you’re most likely to notice your air conditioning system is wasting money. The bills for the summer have accumulated, and you may see a difference in how much you’re paying—an unpleasant difference.
The line set is an essential part of any split system air conditioner. A split system AC is probably the type you have: it’s the standard air conditioner set-up of an outdoor condenser cabinet where heat is released and an indoor unit and blower to remove heat from the air and then send it into the ductwork. The line set is the vital part the connects the indoor and outdoor components. It’s a double set of copper refrigerant lines that carry the circulating refrigerant to and from the units. The line set is sometimes exposed and sometimes hidden in the ground.
When your air conditioning system won’t turn on, you know it means trouble. After all, you’ll feel the effects right away and want something done about it. But what about the reverse problem, an air conditioning system that won’t stop running? You may enjoy the cool house for a bit, but when the AC won’t power down, you’ll not only have a house that’s too cold, you’ll also waste enormous amounts of money and have an air conditioner that’s wearing down so fast that it will need replacement years too early.
When you read our posts about regular air conditioning system maintenance, you’ll notice we often mention spring as the best time to have it done. Which it is. Spring maintenance preps the air conditioner right before the time when it does the most work, and it also lets you schedule a convenient time for the service when you won’t have to rely on the cooling system.
Drain cleaning is a job we recommend homeowners schedule both to clear up clogged drains and as a regular maintenance task once a year. Drain cleaning helps keep one half of your plumbing system—the sewage and drainage side—working at top condition so you won’t have to worry about it. Nobody wants to fret about draining wastewater out of their house!
A central air conditioning system has two fans: one located in the outdoor condenser cabinet, and the other in the HVAC cabinet inside the house. These two fans are essential for the air conditioner to do its job. Obviously, an air conditioner that cannot send air out through the vents isn’t going to be much good to you! And if the outdoor fan fails, the air conditioner won’t be able to effectively move heat from the indoor air to release it outside.
