The HVAC system needs to be in peak working condition throughout the year to warm your home during chilly winters, and cool it up during the hot and humid summer. This ensures you and your loved ones feel comfortable while in the house. But, like any other machine, the HVAC unit is prone to occasional breaking down, and repairing it isn’t cheap.
Because of this, you need to schedule routine HVAC maintenance to address this issue before it gets any worse. And, to ensure this is achieved, here are seven HVAC maintenance tips you should employ to ensure that the system continues working perfectly well.
1. Schedule For Annual Maintenance
Prevention is better than cure, so it’s best not to wait until your air conditioning unit has malfunctioned to schedule an inspection by a professional. Instead, you need to be proactive and schedule routine annual maintenance to examine your HVAC system. While doing this might look insignificant, it can help prevent up to 95% of repairs the HVAC unit requires. During the annual maintenance, some of the tasks the HVAC technician from Vaughan Comfort Services and other similar companies will do include the following:
- Inspect if the fun is working
- Clean the drain lines
- Inspect for leaks in the heat exchanger
- Clean the coils
- Inspect the air filter
- Check the refrigerant level
Performing these annual maintenance tasks will help ensure your HVAC system remains in a peak working state. This will prolong its lifespan and make it more effective at enhancing your home’s comfort, while simultaneously reducing your energy expenses.
2. Regularly Replace The Air Filters
The air filters of the HVAC system play the crucial role of trapping dirt, dust, and other unwanted materials, such as hair. Because of this, they’re the dirtiest locations on the HVAC unit and, thus, need to be changed after every 30 to 90 days. If you’ve got many people and pets living in your home, then the filters shouldn’t exceed 30 days.
Clean filters, besides preventing the risk of allergic reactions, also boost the HVAC unit’s overall efficiency. This is because the air conditioning system doesn’t strain to circulate air through your home and boost its performance. The clean filters also help boost your system’s longevity, which enables you to save money that you would’ve spent on expensive repairs.
3. Clean The Outside Unit Of Your HVAC
Most homeowners often overlook the HVAC’s outdoor unit. However, you shouldn’t do this, or you’ll end up spending a considerable sum of money on repair expenses. This is because twigs, branches, plants, debris, and other objects can eventually find their way into the HVAC unit. These obstructions might eventually destroy interior components, thereby necessitating frequent repairs that can become quite expensive over time.
Obstacles in the HVAC system also block the smooth flow of air, forcing it to work a lot harder and lowering its efficiency. To prevent the accumulation of these items in your HVAC system, you need to clean your air conditioning unit’s exterior parts routinely. You should also remove all the plants to at least three feet from the HVAC system to prevent leaves or twigs from easily getting sucked in by the fan.
4. Pay Attention
Although it’s normal for the air conditioning unit to produce noises while running, you need to be concerned if you hear grinding, thumping, or rattling noises. These frequently indicate that there’s a problem with your HVAC system either due to blockages, loose connections, or excessive debris. You should try and pinpoint the exact location producing this sound to find out what the issue is before it gets any worse. If this proves to be challenging, ask for help from a certified HVAC technician.
Besides strange sounds, you should also check if your air conditioning unit is producing any weird gases. If yes, this is a sign that the furnace has a problem and needs to be examined right away before the issue worsens.
5. Clean The Vents
For the ducted air conditioning unit, you need to regularly clean the vents to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt that obstruct the flow of air. It’s also advisable to inspect the airflow from time to time to gauge whether it’s weak, and immediately call an accredited HVAC professional to address the issue. In addition, you need to make sure the vents are positioned a reasonable distance away from your furniture and other household items.
6. Clean The Heat Pump
Another part of your HVAC system that you should regularly clean is the heat pump to prevent the accumulation of dirt. Failure to do this only adds pressure on your HVAC unit to create a comfortable temperature in your home and increases the risk of damage. Knowing this, you should prioritize cleaning the heat pump often to remove twigs, leaves, and pollens that might be present in your air conditioning unit.
7. Inspect And Clean The Condenser
The HVAC unit’s condenser is one of the most expensive parts, so it needs great care to avoid costly repairs. This routine cleaning is especially crucial because it’s positioned outside your home, making it susceptible to the accumulation of debris, such as twigs, leaves, and branches. You should prevent this by making it a habit to inspect the condenser and clean it regularly. To do this, you simply need to take off the panel to examine the interior sections. Consequently, remove the stuck debris by wet or dry vacuuming.
When cleaning the condenser, don’t forget the fans and coils as well before reconnecting the access panel. With your condenser free of any dirt and grime, your HVAC system will last longer because it won’t be working as hard to cool or warm your home. Therefore, you get to save money that you’d have spent on repairs.
Takeaway
It’s easy to forget about the HVAC system until it starts experiencing problems that hinder operation at optimal efficiency or a complete malfunction altogether. When this happens, you’d need to pay a considerable fee to get it repaired. Your home’s energy bills also increase, further straining you financially. And, to prevent this, make sure to implement the tips discussed above and do away with the need for expensive HVAC repairs.