HVAC or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are an integral part of all homes. These systems make our homes comfortable throughout the year. No one wants to wake up to a very cold or hot house when their HVAC system suddenly stops working!
The good news is there are steps that you as a homeowner can take to perform preventative upkeep on your HVAC system. Read more for a homeowner’s guide to their HVAC maintenance.
Changing the Filters of Your HVAC System
When your home’s HVAC system is operating, filters are continually in use. Their job is to capture particles that are in the air. Dust, pollen, dander, and other contaminants need to be trapped so that they do not clog your HVAC system. After the filters remove the particles, the quality of the air pushed back out of the HVAC system is improved.
Replacing the filters on a regular basis will improve the operating efficiency of your HVAC system. Read more about your homeowner’s guide to HVAC maintenance and get ready to head outside.
Clearing Debris from Your HVAC Units
Your outside HVAC units need to be checked for debris that can quickly accumulate. Wind, rain, and other weather elements can cause leaves, grass clippings, and other yard materials to clog your HVAC unit. Plants can quickly grow and reduce the air flow. Be sure to prune plant life on a regular basis and provide a two-feet clearance radius.
Additionally, check to make sure that your unit located outside remains level. Over time, the units can shift or sink a bit into the ground. Use shims that will not rot to level the unit.
Inside, perform the same check on your units. Remove any clutter that has gradually encircled the units. Clean the area of dust.
For your inside and outside units, they both operate more efficiently when they are clean and have unrestricted flow of air.
Continue to read more about homeowners and HVAC maintenance and learn about visual inspections to perform while you remove debris and clutter.
Visual Inspections
While you are raking near your outdoor unit and vacuuming inside, there are other visual inspections that you should perform. For your HVAC unit to operate, registers and returns must be cleared and open. When you check and clean any dust from the registers and returns, look for any signs of mold.
Back at the units themselves, scan the area for any signs of leaks. These may appear on your air conditioner’s condensate line or on the heat exchange. Check all wiring for any indicators of corrosion.
Mold, leaks, and corrosion can be signs to indicate that your system is not running at its peak. Having these issues corrected can increase the longevity of your HVAC system and improve its energy efficiency.
Read more for another tip on HVAC systems.
Replacing Batteries that Control Your HVAC
Many homes have a mix of thermostats and other alarm systems. Some are hardwired; others are battery operated. To eliminate any surprises, replace the batteries in your thermostats annually. When you are replacing these, it’s the perfect time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Even with all the steps that you as a homeowner can perform to maintain your HVAC system, it is recommended that you have an HVAC professional to annually service your system.
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