Spring has arrived in the Tri-Cities and Lower Mainland, and that means it’s time to give your home’s heating and cooling system some well-deserved attention. After a long winter, your furnace, heat pump, or ductless system needs a proper inspection and tune-up before summer heat kicks in. Skipping seasonal maintenance is one of the most common – and costly – mistakes homeowners make.
At Heritage Mountain Heating & Cooling Inc., our Red Seal certified technicians have seen it all: systems that fail on the hottest day of the year because they never got their spring service. Don’t let that be you. Here’s your complete spring HVAC maintenance checklist for 2026.
1. Replace or Clean Your Air Filters
This is the simplest and most impactful thing you can do for your HVAC system. A clogged air filter restricts airflow, forces your system to work harder, drives up your energy bills, and degrades your indoor air quality.
What to do: Check your filter now. If it’s been more than 1–3 months since your last change (depending on filter type and household conditions), replace it. Homes with pets or allergy sufferers should change filters more frequently.
For homes with a high-efficiency air filtration system – like a HEPA filter or whole-home air cleaner – spring is also the time to have it professionally inspected and serviced.
2. Test Your Air Conditioning or Heat Pump Cooling Mode
Don’t wait until the first hot day to discover your AC isn’t working. April and May are the ideal months to test your system so there’s time to schedule repairs before the summer rush.
What to do: Set your thermostat to cooling mode and run it for 15–20 minutes. Check that cold air is coming through all vents or indoor air handlers. Listen for unusual sounds – rattling, squealing, or grinding are red flags. If anything seems off, call a professional now before technicians are fully booked.
If you have a ductless mini-split, check each indoor air handler individually and make sure nothing is blocking the unit.
3. Clean Your Outdoor Unit or Heat Pump Condenser
After winter, your outdoor condenser or heat pump unit may have accumulated leaves, dirt, debris, and even pet hair that can reduce efficiency and damage the system.
What to do: Clear a 2-foot clearance around the outdoor unit. Gently rinse the fins with a garden hose (never a pressure washer). Make sure the unit sits level on its pad – frost heaving over winter can cause units to tilt. Never cover the unit with a tarp in summer.
4. Inspect Your Ductwork for Leaks and Buildup
Leaky or dirty ducts can waste up to 30% of your conditioned air before it reaches the rooms in your home. If your home has hot or cold spots, high energy bills, or excessive dust, your ducts may be to blame.
What to do: Visually inspect accessible ductwork for disconnected joints or obvious damage. A professional duct inspection can identify leaks you can’t see. If your ducts haven’t been cleaned in 5–7 years, it’s time.
5. Check and Calibrate Your Thermostat
Your thermostat is the brain of your HVAC system. An outdated or uncalibrated thermostat leads to uncomfortable temperatures, short cycling, and inflated energy bills.
What to do: Test accuracy by comparing it to a standalone thermometer. If you’re still using a non-programmable thermostat, spring 2026 is the time to upgrade to a smart thermostat can learn your schedule, optimize your system automatically, and may qualify for utility rebates. This is a great item to have installed during your next seasonal maintenance.
6. Schedule a Professional HVAC Tune-Up
A professional seasonal tune-up goes far beyond what a homeowner can do with a checklist. A trained technician will inspect and lubricate all moving parts, check refrigerant levels, clean evaporator and condenser coils, test electrical connections, and verify proper airflow. For gas furnaces, inspecting the heat exchanger is a critical carbon monoxide safety step. For heat pump systems, spring is the ideal time to service both heating and cooling functions before demand spikes.
7. Consider Your Indoor Air Quality
Spring means fresh air – and pollen. If anyone in your household suffers from allergies or asthma, now is the time to upgrade your home’s indoor air quality setup. Heritage Mountain installs HEPA air filtration systems, UV air purifiers, and HRV/ERV ventilators that bring in fresh air without losing conditioned air. Spring allergens peak in the Tri-Cities and Lower Mainland from April through June – the right filtration setup makes a real difference.
Book Your Spring HVAC Maintenance with Heritage Mountain Heating & Cooling Inc.
Don’t wait until something goes wrong. A little spring maintenance prevents expensive summer breakdowns and keeps energy bills in check. Heritage Mountain Heating & Cooling Inc. has served the Tri-Cities and Lower Mainland since 2010 – our licensed, bonded, and insured Red Seal technicians deliver honest service with no call centres and no upsell pressure. As a York® Certified Comfort Expert™ Dealer, we back our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
📞 Book your spring HVAC maintenance tune-up today – heritagemountainhc.ca
Maintenance spots fill up fast as the weather warms – don’t get left in the heat.
Proudly serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Langley, Burnaby, Surrey, and the entire Lower Mainland.