With the constant changes in climates and the temperatures in different seasons rising and dropping dramatically, the best thing you can do for your air conditioner and heater is to ensure that they won’t have troubles. A malfunctioning HVAC is detrimental to your home, as well as to your family’s health and safety. Therefore, it’s best to be equipped with how to go about preventative measures.
When your heating and cooling system runs effectively and smoothly, you’ll have stable energy consumption and create a comfortable atmosphere at home. Ensuring that such systems run in good condition throughout the year will yield cost savings in your electricity bills and repair and maintenance fees. Without significant damages caused by irresponsible handling of your HVAC, you won’t have to pay a lot for having vital spare parts replaced too often.
Here are some tips on preventing problems on your air conditioner and heater:
Table Of Contents
1. Schedule Professional HVAC Preventative Maintenance
It’s a good idea to schedule two HVAC tune-ups each year, one in the spring for the air conditioner and another in the fall for the heater. This will ensure that you’ll have a smoother transition to the changing season. In such times, hire the best heating and air conditioning service Toms Brook contractors if you live within the area. They’ll provide maintenance services like checkups, repairs, replacements, installations, and preventive measures.
When a contractor visits your home, they’ll perform different preventative maintenance tasks to your HVAC like checking your thermostat settings and temperature controllers. You can talk to them as they teach you how to measure and maintain the proper calibration. They’ll also lubricate the moving parts of your HVAC systems.
They’ll check all the system controls and electrical connections. They’ll clean the coils, evaporators, airflow passages, and blowers. They also replace filters and inspect the gas pressure and heat exchangers. Talk to them about any task you wish to do, aside from all these.
2. Be Well-Versed With Your Thermostat
Understanding your thermostat is critical to ensuring that your HVAC system runs efficiently. The thermostat may be cranked up to blast warm or cold air during the warmer or colder months, but this isn’t the way to do it. Your system works better if you maintain an average temperature throughout the year. This is also an effective way to reduce your energy bills.
Indoor comfort is affected by outdoor temperature. The more energy your AC uses to keep things cool, even if it’s not that hot outside, the more energy you use. Therefore, it’s imperative that your indoor temperature is matched with the outdoor air temperature. This will result in your HVAC working lesser and relying more on natural temperature.
3. Change Filters Regularly
Replacing the filters for your HVAC systems is like maintaining good personal hygiene. This ensures that your units are constantly clean and cared for. Your air is kept clean and free of large particles with disposable filters. Therefore, it’s best to replace them regularly in a span of one to two months.
The frequency for changing also relies on the household members and pets you have. Some people might be more sensitive to allergens, so replacing filters earlier than suggested is best. Check out the best suitable filters for your heating and air conditioning systems, and ask the professionals which ones are best for your home. Some ductless systems’ filters can be cleaned instead of replaced, so research on these details too.
4. Clean The Unit
Leaves, mud, and dirt obstruct proper ventilation. When your unit is filled with accumulated debris, it’ll have to exert more effort and increase its electricity requirement just to function effectively. This will increase your electricity bills monthly, so it’s essential to check the placements of your unit. Clear debris away from the ducts and registers.
A summer fan is usually mounted on top of an outdoor condenser or heat pump, so heat can dissipate. Dirt, pollen, and grime accumulate on the condensing unit’s metal fins. It’s best to clean them before, during, and after summer. You may use a water hose to clear out the entryways. However, it’s best to avoid a pressure washer.
It’s vital to know how your home air conditioning system works and be familiar with its different parts. For instance, one integral part of your HVAC to clear and clean out is the coils. Coils ensure adequate airflow, so they must be grime-free too. If the condenser coils are too thick with accumulated dirt, they might cause damages affecting your unit’s cooling efficiency. This will require the air conditioning unit to consume more electricity, which means higher utility bills.
Conclusion
Installing an HVAC system in your home is a great and wise investment, but you shouldn’t end with that. There are necessary steps and ways to maintain and prevent their damages in the long run. It’s critical to plan and apply all the tips in this article to ensure that your air conditioner and heater will continue to work effectively and smoothly for as long as you need them.
