HVAC maintenance

Filter frequency depends on filter type, pets, and how much the system runs. Carrier's baseline is at least every other month. Thin fiberglass filters clog faster than pleated ones; very high-MERV filters can restrict airflow if the system wasn't designed for them, so check what your equipment supports before upgrading.

A real tune-up is more than a visual glance. It should include cleaning the outdoor condenser coil, checking refrigerant charge and airflow, testing electrical connections and capacitors, checking the condensate drain, verifying thermostat operation, and on gas equipment inspecting the burners and heat exchanger. If a $79 tune-up takes 15 minutes, you did not get one.

Maintenance plans are a mixed bag. The genuine value is usually priority scheduling in peak season and a discount on repairs. The risk is that a plan turns into a recurring sales visit. Read the inclusions, check whether it auto-renews, and decide whether you'd pay for the same visit à la carte.

How to choose

Set a filter reminder

Carrier's guidance is at least every other month. Put it on a calendar — this is the single cheapest thing you can do for the system.

Schedule service in the shoulder seasons

Spring for cooling, fall for heating. Availability is better and you find problems before the weather makes them urgent.

Ask for the tune-up checklist in writing

Before booking. Then check the completed sheet against it. This filters out the 15-minute upsell visits fast.

Keep the outdoor unit clear

Two feet of clearance, no leaves, no shrubs growing into it, and don't build a deck over it without airflow clearance.

Get the ducts inspected periodically

Carrier notes annual duct inspections help prevent energy waste and blower motor strain. Duct cleaning is a separate, more debatable service — inspection is the useful part.