FURNACE & AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR

When your heating or cooling system is not working properly, call V & D Heating and Air Conditioning. The V & D Heating and Air Conditioning team of technicians repairs all brands of heating, cooling and home comfort equipment. We offer 24 hour emergency service, and our fleet of service vehicles are located throughout the Chicagoland area, so we are always nearby. We are experienced in repairing all major brands of equipment.

AIR CONDITIONING & FURNACE INSPECTION

When an V & D Heating and Air Conditioning technician inspects your heating or cooling system (or other equipment such as humidifiers or water heaters, etc.), you can be assured that the following checks (listed below) have been performed. The majority of our customers do not wait until something goes wrong, but turn to V & D Heating and Air Conditioning for year-round maintenance. By contacting us you can request us to do an annual Clean and Check service for your Air Conditioning system (in the Spring) and furnace (prior to Winter) at a special discount rate.

AIR CONDITIONING CLEAN & SAFETY INSPECTION

1. THERMOSTAT - will be checked and calibrated as required. Defective or improperly calibrated thermostats affect comfort and operation.
2. AIR FILTER - dirty air filters restrict airflow and cause systems to work harder, resulting in higher energy costs, less efficient cooling/dehumidification, blower motor and compressor running harder, and evaporator coil freeze-up which can cause malfunction, water back-ups, and compressor or blower going out.
3. CONDENSER COIL - a clean condenser coil allows better airflow through the coil for proper heat transfer. Dirty condenser coils raise refrigerant pressures higher than needed which can increase electric bill and lower cooling capacity.
4. EVAPORATOR COIL WHERE ACCESSIBLE - a clean evaporator coil allows unrestricted air flow through the coil for maximum cooling efficiency and capacity as well as dehumidification.
5. BLOWER ASSEMBLY - clean blower wheels and assemblies provide required amounts of airflow for maximum cooling efficiency and dehumidification and prevent blower motor straining to provide the proper amount of air, result is energy savings and avoid expensive repairs.
6. REFRIGERENT CHARGE - will be checked by determining proper superheat, sub cooling and temperature of refrigerant. A low or high refrigerant charge can easily go unnoticed and increase operating costs. Also an improper charge can do damage to the compressor & cause a unit to stop working.
7. CLEAN DRAIN PAN WHERE ACCESSIBLE - The drain pan collects water from the evaporator coil during the cooling season. This water becomes a source for algae and bacterial growth.
8. CLEAN CONDENSATE DRAIN LINES - The drain lines allow for the flow of water from the drain pan. Blocked lines cause overflow as potential water damage to the equipment and surrounding areas. This can eliminate expensive water damage.
9. REMOVE DEBRIS IN CONDENSER - your outside condenser can accumulate leaves, bugs, dirt, etc. Keeping the condenser clean can help your controls from being damaged form outside sources.
10. CONDENSER FAN BLADE - will check that fan blade is balanced, secure and free from any obstructions.
11. CONDENSER MOTOR - will be cleaned and lubricated. Dirty motors are less efficient and will fail sooner.
12. CAPACITORS - there are two capacitors (Run & Start) they will visually be inspected for deterioration. Then will be tested for shorts, continuity, & improper resistance. Bad capacitors can lead to compressor and motor failure.
13. CONTACTOR - will look for bad contactor points or a weak coil that can cause compressor damage due to short cycling and high amps. This can eliminate nuisance breakdowns and expensive repairs.
14. FAN CONTROL CENTER - make sure fan is being turned on and off in the proper manner. 15. WIRING CONNECTIONS - loose connections can cause intermittent breakdowns. Also, loose connections on high voltage lines can increase the amperage draw on motor and compressor, resulting in high electrical usage and costly repairs.
16. MEASURE VOLTS & AMPS - this makes certain your electrical components function properly. This saves energy dollars and avoids potential breakdowns with motor & compressor in the unit.
17. DISCONNECT BOX - will be inspected for damage. A worn or overheated disconnect can blow fuses & cause breakdowns.
18. COMPRESSOR CHECK - this is the most expensive component in your cooling system. We measure the integrity of compressor windings and determine if moisture/acid is present in your refrigeration system. Removal of moisture/acid from the system can be accomplished; however clean-up costs vary by severity of the contamination.
19. LUBRICATION OF MOTORS AND BEARINGS - improperly lubricated rotating equipment will eventually fail.
20. LINESET INSULATION - check insulation for tears & air leaks at tubing where line set enters plenum.
21. SEE IF CONDENSER IS LEVEL - a condenser that tips to one side can affect the operation of the compressor. Depending on situation repair costs will vary.
22. SECURE ALL PANELS - Loose panels can increase operating costs and cause a dangerous condition.
23. QUALITY INSPECTION - will examine quality of installation along with equipment condition area and clearances.

FURNACE CLEAN & SAFETY INSPECTION

1. HEAT EXCHANGER - will be inspected for cracks and deterioration. Heat exchangers can develop cracks with age. If they exist, there is a risk of serious illness from the toxic fumes emitted.
2. AIR FILTER - will be replaced at customer's option.Dirty air filters can increase operating costs.
3. BURNERS - will be cleaned & adjusted. Dirty burners can cause poor combustion. You may pay for useful heat that “goes up the stack.”
4. THERMOCOUPLE - will be replaced as needed. A defective thermocouple will cause the furnace to shut down. We don't take a chance with your comfort. It is replaced before it causes a problem.
5. PILOT - will be cleaned and adjusted as necessary. Weak or dirty pilot can easily be extinguished causing the furnace to shut down.
6. THE GAS VALVE - will be inspected & tested. Gas valve need to be adjusted & checked to make sure it is opening properly. This will insure proper ignition & burners will operate in a safe and efficient manor.
7. GAS LINE - will be leak checked from the furnace shut off value to the burners.This insures that potentially explosive gases are exhausted properly and do not leak into your home.
8. SAFETY CONTROLS - will be operationally checked. Safety controls that do not operate can cause dangerous problems.
9. BLOWER MOTOR - will be inspected and motor lubricated. Motor will last longer and the temperature will be more comfortable.
10. BLOWER WHEELS - will be inspected and cleaned as necessary. Dirty blower wheels reduce air flow, causing longer operating time and increased cost. This problem can lead to comfort and motor failure.
11. CAPACITORS - will be tested. Bad capacitors can lead to motor failure.
12. BELTS - must be checked for cracks & wear to insure reliable operation.
13. COMBUSTION AIR - openings will be checked. Blocked or restricted combustion air openings can be dangerous.
14. INDUCER MOTOR ASSEMBLY - will be lubricated & wheel will be inspected to insure proper removal of flue gases.
15. FLUE PIPE - will be inspected. Flue pipe corrosion or leaks are dangerous.
16. FLUE DRAFT - we will make sure the furnace is drafting properly.
17. FLUE LIMIT SAFETY - will be inspected and tested for proper operation.
18. PRESURE SWITCH - will be inspected and air tubes will be cleaned.
19. THERMOSTAT - will be checked and calibrated as required. Defective or improperly calibrated thermostats affect comfort and operating costs.
20. FAN SWITCH - will be checked and adjusted as needed. A fan switch that is not properly adjusted can waste energy or cause annoying fan cycling.
21. CONTROLS - will be inspected and tested. Controls and safeties that do not function properly can increase operation cost and cause other components to malfunction.
22. RELAYS AND CONTACTS - will be inspected. Worn contacts and loose wire connections can lead to a motor failure.
23. UNIT WIRING - will be inspected and loose connections tightened. Loose connections can lead to control & motor failure.
24. HOT SURFACE IGNITOR - will be inspected to see if it has a hot spot, if so its color will be a brighter orange color, or may even be white at this point. If so the hot surface igniter should be replaced.
25. BURNER OPERATION - will be inspected to make sure it lights smoothly. We will adjust burner air shutters if needed to obtain complete combustion of the fuel. This ensures safe, efficient operation.
26. FLAME RECTIFICATION - on newer furnaces which prove the flame-by-flame rectification principle, we will use a meter that can accurately measure the micro amps of current. This will eliminate the furnace not starting.
27. TEMPERATURE RISE - will be checked to ensure that it is within the limits listed by the manufacturer. This will eliminate short cycling and furnaces overheating which can cause premature heat exchanger failure.
28. MANIFOLD GAS PRESSURE - proper pressure is required to control fuel input to the furnace burners. This controls fuel consumption and stops delayed ignition.
29. CONDENSATE DRAIN - will be checked to assure it is open. Algae can plug a condensate drain which can cause expensive water damage
30. SECURE ALL PANELS - Loose panels can increase operating costs and cause a dangerous condition.
31. QUALITY INSPECTION - will examine quality of installation along with equipment condition area and clearances.