Maintenance process
A maintenance visit is a check, a clean and a measurement, and it should end with a plain list of what needs attention now and what can wait. Here is the published list, item by item.
Updated August 23, 2026
01
ENERGY STAR publishes a checklist for a typical maintenance visit. Use it to ask what a contractor will inspect, clean and measure on your specific system.
02
Clean the evaporator and condenser coils. Check the refrigerant charge and correct it if it needs it. Clean and adjust the blower so the system moves the air it is supposed to. Dirty coils make the system run longer for less cooling. A charge that keeps dropping means it is going somewhere.
03
ENERGY STAR puts gas or oil connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and the heat exchanger on the heating list. It says why. Bad fuel connections are a fire hazard. A dirty burner or a cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation. EPA separately recommends that a trained professional inspect fuel-burning furnaces at the start of every heating season. This part of the visit is not about comfort.
04
United maintenance covers cleaning the system and measuring the airflow at the vents. Ask for a plain list of what was checked, what needs attention now and what is worth watching. If the system needs a repair rather than a replacement, Moe says so.
05
The do-it-yourself item ENERGY STAR names is the filter. Its general checklist says to inspect, clean or change filters monthly on a central air conditioner, furnace or heat pump. Follow the filter and equipment instructions for your specific system. A dirty filter raises running costs and can damage equipment, and it is one of the simplest things to rule out before anyone opens a panel.
06
ENERGY STAR suggests a pre-season check: the cooling system in spring, the heating system in the fall, before contractors get busy. That's a timing suggestion, not a subscription. A maintenance visit is a service you buy when it is useful to you. If a plan is being sold before anyone has told you what your system needs, ask what the visits include and what happens if you do not sign.
Side-by-side
| Item | What is done | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|
| Thermostat settings | Confirm the schedule keeps the property comfortable when it is occupied | Comfort and running time |
| Electrical connections | Tighten connections and measure motor voltage and current | Faulty connections are unsafe and shorten component life |
| Moving parts | Lubricate | Friction raises electricity use |
| Condensate drain | Inspect and clear | A plugged drain causes water damage and humidity problems |
| System controls | Check the start cycle, running and shutdown | Proper and safe operation |
| Coils, cooling season | Clean the evaporator and condenser coils | Dirty coils cut cooling and lengthen run time |
| Refrigerant charge, cooling season | Check the level and adjust if needed | Too much or too little reduces performance |
| Blower, cooling season | Clean and adjust for proper airflow | Airflow problems reduce comfort |
| Fuel and combustion, heating season | Check gas or oil connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and the heat exchanger | Fire hazard, health risk and improper burner operation |
| Air filter, your job | Inspect it regularly; ENERGY STAR's general checklist says monthly | A dirty filter raises costs and can damage equipment |
Common questions
A check of the thermostat, electrical connections, lubrication, the condensate drain and the controls. For cooling, add coil cleaning, a refrigerant check and blower adjustment. For heating, add a fuel, burner and heat exchanger check.
ENERGY STAR suggests pre-season checks: the cooling system in spring and the heating system in the fall. The right interval still depends on the equipment, the property and how hard the system runs.
Not in order to get a maintenance visit. A plan is a purchasing arrangement, not a different service. Ask what visits it includes, what it excludes and what happens if you do not sign.
Primary sources
