Important HVAC Maintenance Tips For Homeowners
Imagine how uncomfortable your home would be without a working HVAC system. Heating and cooling are easy to take for granted. However, they play an important role in the comfort and safety of your home. On freezing winter days, your furnace helps keep your home warm, providing a safe haven against the weather. When it is hot outside, your cooling system helps keep you from overheating, ensuring that you stay comfortable even when temperatures rise.
Proper HVAC maintenance is important if you want your system to continue working properly. The simple tips below will help you keep your home’s heating and cooling system in great shape for a long time to come.
1. Change your filters on a regular basis.
Furnaces and air conditioners both rely on filters to capture dirt and debris. Over time, these filters can become clogged with dirt, preventing air from moving smoothly through the system. This forces the motor to work harder, which can cause it to wear out more quickly.
A simple way to avoid this problem is by regularly replacing your filters. Some models come with permanent filters that can simply be cleaned and replaced. Others have disposable filters that are designed to be thrown away. You can learn more about the filter requirements for your system by reading the user manual. Consider using a program like Google Calendar to send out periodic reminders so that you don’t forget to check your filters.
2. Remove any potential obstructions.
If you have a heat pump or an air conditioner that has an outside unit, inspect the area to make sure that there are no obstructions that need to be removed. Overgrown vegetation, dead leaves, branches, and other items can clutter up the area around the unit, keeping it from getting the air that it needs. Removing any debris or vegetation can go a long way toward keeping your system in good shape.
3. Inspect your ductwork.
Most heating and cooling systems rely on ductwork in order to deliver warm or cool air throughout your house. Any holes or openings in your ductwork can reduce the efficiency of your system, keeping it from functioning as well as it should. Visually inspect all of the areas of your ductwork that you can see, looking for potential problems. Seal any cracks or openings that you find.
4. Make sure all of your vents are clear.
In most homes, HVAC systems deliver air through registers that are located in the floor or in the wall. If any furniture is placed over the top of these registers, it can force your system to work harder, which can cause it to wear out sooner. All of your vents should be free from obstacles so that the air can move freely through the system.
Homeowners should do their best to follow these easy HVAC maintenance tips. By taking care of the heating and cooling systems in your home, you can help extend their life. Since HVAC equipment is expensive to repair or replace, a little bit of preventive maintenance can wind up saving you a lot of money.