Maintenance & Seasonal
What HVAC maintenance can I do myself?
A short, honest list of what a Des Moines homeowner can safely handle — and where the line is between simple upkeep and work that belongs to a trained technician.
Most of what keeps an HVAC system healthy between visits is simple: change the filter regularly, keep the outdoor unit clear, leave vents open, and watch the condensate drain in summer. Anything that touches refrigerant, electrical, or gas — or means opening the cabinet — should be left to a professional. Pair that homeowner upkeep with a seasonal tune-up and your system runs better and lasts longer.
Safe to do yourself
- Change the air filter. The single most valuable thing you can do. Check it monthly and swap a 1-inch filter every 1–3 months — more often during heavy heating and cooling stretches or if you have pets.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear. Pull weeds, leaves, and grass clippings away from the condenser and keep about two feet of space around it. With the power off at the disconnect, you can gently rinse the fins from the outside with a garden hose — never a pressure washer.
- Keep vents and returns open. Make sure supply vents and return-air grilles aren't blocked by furniture or rugs. Closing too many vents raises pressure and makes the system work harder, not more efficiently.
- Watch the condensate drain. In cooling season, check that the drain line near the indoor unit is dripping into its pan and not backed up. A clogged drain can trip a safety switch or cause water damage.
- Use the thermostat wisely. Set a reasonable schedule and replace thermostat batteries before winter. Small, steady setbacks save more than big swings the system has to fight back from.
Leave these to a professional
- Anything with refrigerant. Checking charge, finding leaks, or recharging requires EPA certification and gauges. Low refrigerant means a leak — topping it off without a repair just delays the problem.
- Electrical and gas work. Capacitors hold a charge, and gas furnaces involve combustion and carbon-monoxide safety. These are pro jobs, full stop.
- Opening the cabinet or coils. Cleaning the indoor evaporator coil, blower, or burners properly means partial disassembly. Done wrong, it bends fins or damages components.
- A full seasonal tune-up. A technician measures, tests, and calibrates things you can't see — and catches small problems before they leave you without heat in January.
A simple Iowa seasonal rhythm
Iowa asks a lot of a system — humid summers and hard winters back to back. Two habits cover most of it: prep the AC in spring and the furnace in fall. Our spring AC prep checklist and fall furnace prep checklist walk through each one, and the AC maintenance checklist covers what to watch all cooling season.
Iowa myth vs. truth
Myth: “A newer system doesn’t need any maintenance.”
Even a brand-new system collects dust, loses a little charge, and drifts out of calibration. In Iowa’s climate, skipped maintenance is the fastest way to shorten a system’s life and void parts of a manufacturer’s warranty — many require documented annual service to stay valid.
Maintenance plans
Leave the technical part to us
You handle the filters; we’ll handle the measuring, testing, and safety checks. All Seasons HVAC offers maintenance plans that keep your system on a regular tune-up schedule across the Des Moines metro.
Common questions
How often should I change my HVAC filter?
Check a standard 1-inch filter every month and replace it every 1 to 3 months. During Iowa's peak heating and cooling stretches, or with pets in the home, the shorter end of that range keeps airflow strong and bills lower.
Can I clean my AC coils myself?
You can gently rinse the outdoor condenser fins from the outside with a garden hose after shutting off power. The indoor evaporator coil should be left to a technician — reaching it safely means opening the cabinet, and bent fins or a nicked line set cause bigger problems.
Do I still need a professional tune-up if I do DIY maintenance?
Yes. Homeowner upkeep keeps the system breathing, but a technician measures refrigerant, tests electrical components, checks the heat exchanger for safety, and calibrates the system in ways you can't from the outside. The two work together.
Is it safe to cover my outdoor unit in winter?
A full wrap traps moisture and invites rodents. If you want protection from falling ice, use a breathable cover that sits only on top. A heat pump should never be covered, since it runs year-round.