Seasonal HVAC Tune-Ups in Greenwood Village

Condensers are often screened by shrubs or fences, which looks good but can trap hot discharge air and starve the coil. Sprinklers that hit the coil leave mineral deposits that insulate the fins. On the spring visit we check clearances, clean the coil, and look for scale. After hail, which is common across the south metro, we inspect fins and fan guards and photograph any damage.

At about 5,630 feet, furnaces should run about 22 percent below their sea-level rating. We check gas pressure against the manufacturer's table, inspect burners and flame, test carbon monoxide at each furnace and in the living space, and make sure CO alarms are within 15 feet of bedroom doors. In larger homes with a furnace in an attic or a remote mechanical room, we also check the condensate drain and the secondary drain pan or float switch, since a leak there can go unnoticed for a long time.

Homes from the 1960s on large lots have often been expanded, and the original furnace location may now feed additions it was never sized for. We measure temperature rise and static pressure to see whether the system is working within its limits, and look for duct connections that were extended or patched during remodels.

Many Greenwood Village homeowners have replaced one system but not the others, so warranty status varies from unit to unit. Manufacturer coverage often depends on registration: Trane, for example, gives its longer registered warranty only when equipment is registered within 60 days of installation, and parts-only coverage leaves labor to the owner. During a tune-up we record model and serial numbers for each Greenwood Village system and note install dates where the label shows them, which makes it simple to check coverage before a part fails.

Whole-house humidifiers and media air cleaners are common in Greenwood Village homes. Each fall we replace or clean humidifier panels if you have them and check drains and valves; media filters get checked and changed on the manufacturer's schedule. Book heating service in September, before the first freeze that Denver-area records place around October 7, and cooling service in April or May. Our HVAC tune-up checklist for Colorado homes shows the full list.