Heating&Cooling; Maintenance


Why you need regular maintenance

You wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without changing the oil. The same logic holds true for your home comfort system. Regular preventative maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance. Pre-season maintenance is also important. It can help to avoid a system failure in severe hot or cold weather when you need it most. In most cases, having your system maintained is required under your equipment warranty.

The inside scoop on maintenance

You should expect your service technician to:
  • Do a complete system operation check in both cooling and heating modes
  • Check the defrost operation on the heat pump (if you have one)
  • Check all other major components and safety devices
  • Clean both indoor and outdoor air conditioner coils
  • Clean the indoor blower housing and blower wheel

Most modern residential air conditioning and heating fan motors have permanently lubricated bearings so no additional lubrication is needed.

Your duct system should also be checked. Inefficient operation can be caused by return air leaks located in non-air conditioned spaces like attics or crawl areas. Hot or cold air is drawn in through the leak, which is then heated or cooled by your system. This decreases your system's ability to heat or cool your home and also increases your energy bill.

When to do it

If your air conditioning system both heats and cools your home, you should have maintenance performed in the spring and fall.
If you have an air conditioning-only or heating-only system, maintenance should be performed at least once a year prior to the heating or air conditioning season.

Preventative Maintenance Checklist


The old adage is true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s why we encourage all Trane owners to perform preventative maintenance. Below you’ll find our Preventative Maintenance Checklist, which is our proven method to keep your system in the pink and your home in constant comfort.

When to schedule maintenance:

  • If your system heats and cools your home:
    Perform maintenance in the spring and fall.
  • Cooling-only:
    Perform maintenance at least once a year, before the cooling season.
  • Heating-only:
    Perform maintenance at least once a year, before the heating season.

Outdoor units

You should expect your service technician to:

  • Inspect unit for proper refrigerant level and adjust if necessary
  • Clean dirt, leaves and debris from inside cabinet
  • Inspect base pan for restricted drain openings—remove obstructions as necessary
  • Inspect coil and cabinet—clean as needed
  • Inspect fan motor and fan blades for wear and damage—on older models lubricate as needed
  • Inspect control box, associated controls/accessories, wiring and connections. Controls may include contactors, relays, circuit boards, capacitors, sump heat and other accessories. All control box and electrical parts should be checked for wear or damage.
  • Inspect compressor and associated tubing for damage

Indoor units

  • Inspect and clean blower assembly (includes blower housing, blower wheel and motor)
  • On older models, lubricate motor and inspect and replace fan belt if needed
  • Check combustion blower housing for lint and debris and clean as necessary
  • Inspect evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain lines. Clean as needed
  • Inspect for gas leaks in gas furnaces
  • Inspect burner assembly—clean and adjust as needed
  • Inspect ignition system and safety controls—clean and adjust as needed
  • Inspect heat exchanger or heating elements
  • Inspect flue system—check for proper attachment to the furnace, any dislocated sections, and for signs of corrosion. Replace if necessary
  • Inspect control box, associated controls, wiring and connections
  • Clean or replace air filters
  • Inspect conditioned airflow system (ductwork)—check for leaks

While your system is operating
  • Monitor system starting characteristics and capabilities
  • Listen for abnormal noise
  • Search for source of unusual odors
  • Monitor air conditioning and heat pump systems for correct refrigerant charge
  • Measure outdoor dry bulb temperature
  • Measure indoor dry and wet bulb temperature
  • Measure high and low side system pressures
  • Monitor gas furnace for correct line and manifold gas pressure—make adjustments as needed
  • Measure temperature rise and adjust airflow as needed
  • Check vent system for proper operation
  • Monitor system for correct line and load volts/amps
  • Monitor system operation per manufacturer's specifications
  • Provide system operation report and recommend repairs or replacement as necessary

NOTE: Trane recommends all maintenance and service work be performed by a professional air conditioning and heating dealer that holds the appropriate credentials to install and service air conditioning and heating equipment. We are a Trane Comfort Specialist.

The Trane Comfort Specialist™ badge indicates a Trane dealer of the highest standing - a dealer that is committed to excellence in every aspect of his business, from installation and service, to customer service. The Trane Comfort Specialist™ designation is not easy to come by. Dealers qualify for this honor on a yearly basis by meeting The Trane Company's stringent standards for professionalism and technical expertise. The goal of a Trane Comfort Specialist™ Dealer is to exceed your expectations in each area of the purchasing process, beginning with the initial contact and ending with installation and follow up.

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