HVAC repairs and replacement can cost thousands if you don’t maintain your system.
One of the major tasks it can undertake is ensuring that you have a clean and comfortable house at all times. But for you to reap all the benefits that come with a well-maintained system, it’s crucial that you understand how to care for it.
Read on for the essential HVAC maintenance tips that you need to help keep your system running efficiently to save more money.
1. Perform a Visual Inspection
Part of your HVAC maintenance should be to perform regular and routine visual inspections of your units.
You also want to inspect your thermostat and monitor its reading consistently.
Take a walk around your house and make sure all registers and returns are open and not blocked.
It’s smart to dust out registers and also monitor them for mold. You don’t want those kinds of particles to be spread into the air when the HVAC system kicks on.
2. Change Filters
One simple and important thing you can do to protect the air quality inside your home is to change your air filters.
The filter’s job is to grab and collect dust, pollen, and particles as air shoots through them, so they aren’t spread throughout your home.
Changing your air conditioner filters regularly does two important things for you.
First, it helps keep the air in your home clean. Second, it helps your system run more efficiently because air can pass through, allowing the system to heat and cool more efficiently.
This is a must-do maintenance task for every HVAC system.
3. Check Your Ducts
Over time, your ducts can lose their seal and start to leak. Why is this bad for you?
When air, hot or cold, seeps out of the ducts before it gets to the vents, you’re going to notice that other areas of your home aren’t reaching the desired temperatures.
Check your visible ductwork and look at the seams. Are they sealed tight or do you see any gaps?
Poor airflow will reduce the life of the unit and increase energy bills, so this is something you’ll want to address as soon as possible.
If you need to, have a professional come in and repair or reseal your ducts. This will help keep the temperature-controlled air inside where it belongs, leading to improved efficiency for your HVAC system.
4. Clean Around Your Unit
You want to keep the area around your unit clean and clutter-free.
Inside your house, be sure to sweep floors and dust around the area. You don’t want dust sitting around so that your furnace can stir it up and spread throughout your house.
Outside, make sure all the leaves, sticks, and weeds are pulled away from the unit. You don’t want those to impact airflow or get sucked into the unit, causing damage.
5. Don’t Neglect the Condensate Drain
One key element of an HVAC system that is often overlooked is the condensate drain.
This small but important pipe helps to carry away any moisture that may be produced by your system, keeping it running smoothly and preventing energy costs from unnecessarily mounting.
For this reason, it is crucial to make sure that the condensate drain on your HVAC system is clear and functioning properly at all times.
In order to do so, you may want to consider consulting a professional HVAC company that can ensure that your system is operating at peak energy efficiency. After all, maintaining your energy efficiency not only saves you money in energy costs but also helps to reduce environmental impact by minimizing energy consumption overall.
So don’t neglect the condensate drain on your central HVAC system – it could end up costing you both energy and money in the long run!
6. Schedule Routine Professional Check-Ups
While you can do each of these things yourself, you can also avoid costly HVAC repairs by scheduling regular maintenance check-ups with a professional.
By doing this routinely, the HVAC professional can help you avoid potentially costly repairs when you need your system most.
It’s suggested to do these routine checks in the spring and fall before you’ll need your HVAC system to work the hardest.
Use These HVAC Maintenance Tips to Keep Your System Running Smoothly
Use these HVAC maintenance tips to keep your system running well and avoid unexpected repair costs.
If you want your HVAC unit checked out to avoid problems and make sure it’s running well, we can help.
Contact us today to set up a time for your HVAC system check-up in Pittsburgh or the surrounding areas.