Maintenance

Owning, or even sometimes renting, a home in North Idaho requires general maintenance to keep your investment in working order. It’s really all about being prepared. Per Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Maintaining your home’s systems and appliances wards off emergency situations and costly repairs while extending your equipment’s life. Take the time and money to perform general maintenance on a regular basis. Many of the maintenance services require the knowledge, skills, and tools of a professional. During the maintenance or service call, our technician will make any necessary repairs and/or alert you of a possible situation. Call High Mark Heating & Cooling to assist you in maintaining any of the following or to answer any questions you may have:

For furnaces and boilers, an annual service tune-up and cleaning is recommended, usually performed in the fall. The purpose is to keep your system running at top efficiency throughout the season, i.e., to keep you having heat when you need it the most. Our technician will check and clean (depending on whether you have a furnace or boiler) all the connections, controls, sensors, drains, ignitor, ducts, pipes, burners, valves, motors, thermostat(s), and smoke/carbon-monoxide detectors, and instruct you on anything you could do between our service visits. As a rule of thumb, furnace filters need to be changed every three months or as needed, which is something you can do yourself with the correct filters.

For air conditioners, an annual service tune-up and cleaning is recommended, usually performed in the spring. Our professional technicians will check and clean the connections, coils, blower components, lines, refrigerant, drain, fuses, and thermostat(s), as well as lubricate all working parts. Maintenance you can do yourself between service visits is to remove any yard debris or vegetation from the top and sides of your outdoor air conditioner unit, as well as to keep it covered with an air conditioner cover or tarp in the winter.

For heat pumps, an annual service tune-up and cleaning is recommended, usually performed in the fall, same as furnaces and boilers. Our professional technicians will check filters, blower, indoor coil, refrigerant, electric terminals, connections, motors, and belts, as well as lubricate all working parts. Be sure to change or clean the filter every three months or as needed. You can also clean the outdoor coils whenever they seem dirty, and keep yard debris and vegetation away from the unit.

For whole-house humidifiers, an annual service tune-up and cleaning is recommended, usually performed at the same time as your furnace tune-up and cleaning. Our professionals can include this maintenance along with the furnace appointment. Typically there isn’t much in the way of maintenance; however, our technician will change your humidifier pad and clean any mineral buildup you may have (in the case of hard water). Ask our technician to show you how to dissolve the buildup on your own every few months to keep your humidifier working at top efficiency.

For air-filtration systems, regular maintenance is something your can perform on your own. Maintenance on an air-filtration system usually just means changing or cleaning the filter every three to nine months. But you should check with the manufacturer’s specific recommendations. Changing or cleaning your filter on a regular basis will ensure the best filtration for your home as well as extend the life of the system. If you need any assistance or would like to install an air-filtration system, feel free to talk with one of our professionals at High Mark Heating & Cooling.

For water heaters, an annual inspection and service is recommended, usually included in your annual plumbing inspection (any required service would be separate). Have a professional plumber perform the required maintenance, especially if you’re uncomfortable doing it yourself, or just do it yourself. To keep your water heater running efficiently, you want to check the pressure valve, check the anode rod, flush the tank (due to sediment buildup), adjust the temperature (if needed), and insulate the pipes and tank (if needed). Once again, a professional plumber can easily do this service for you to help in extending the life of your water heater.

For gas fireplaces, an annual inspection and service is recommended, usually performed in the fall. Dust, dirt, and insects can clog and effect your orifices and burner ports, affecting your unit’s ability to burn. Also, parts wear out allowing dangerous carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Having your fireplace inspected and cleaned on an annual basis will ensure years of beautiful and warm fires when you want them.

During the inspection and service, our professional technicians will check and clean the inside combustion chamber, pilot, burners, logs, safety switches, glass doors or lens, wiring, and gas valve. On a monthly basis, you could inspect and service your fireplace by cleaning the glass doors and checking their bolts for door stability, check the glass-door or exterior gasket for cracks or missing pieces, and check the outside vent for debris/dirt and for tears or damage to the vent kit.