What Should You Expect From A Tune-up?

It should be easy to book an appointment online or by phone. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get a live person on the phone if you call. Since tune-ups are for annual maintenance and not emergencies, companies are usually scheduled out anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month or more. Larger companies usually have technicians available during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends.

This is a hard one because everyone has different personalities and preferences. But when a company trains its technicians to be professional, friendly, and helpful, it’s easy to feel comfortable having a technician in your home. It's common for a company to do basic drug testing and background checks, but it’s a little rarer to have a technician trained in customer service too.

A great tune-up should include a thorough evaluation of your system, pictures or videos of concerns, and a clear explanation after the tune-up. The tune-up should include the technician doing most of the following:

• Understanding any non-emergency issues
• Checking all parts meet manufacturing specifications
• Making efficiency adjustments (gas pressure, airflow, etc)
• Changing your filter and giving you a free one if they have the right size for your system
• Adjusting your thermostat, changing batteries, and helping you set up a heating and cooling schedule
• Doing any easy-to-reach surface cleaning

Before additional work begins, a technician should be able to give you upfront pricing so there are no surprises at the end. If you decide to have proactive repairs done after a tune-up, one convenient thing companies do is have their technician’s trucks stocked with common supplies. That way there is less time spent getting parts or equipment from a supply house and you can go about your day sooner.

When a technician has completed the work, you’ve paid and they’re back in their truck, your equipment should be in better shape than when they arrived. Whether they helped you set up your thermostat, changed your filter, or cleaned out dust and bugs, a great tune-up and technician will leave your home better than they found it.