Keeping HVAC systems in good shape is a great way to save money on your monthly energy bills. It can also avoid the high costs of fixing or replacing the system or calling your HVAC company.
What does HVAC Stand for?
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Ventilation and filtration help preserve indoor air quality and thermal comfort.
To get a handle on your finances, you must look at your heating and cooling systems. More than half of a home’s energy goes to heating and cooling systems, which are expensive to replace.
When Was the First Air Conditioning System Made?
Fireplaces are an old way to heat a room, but there have been other ways to do it longer than you might think. The Korean Ondol method is the oldest way to heat rooms during winter. It is believed that people used it during the Bronze Age.
It had a furnace outside, pipes under the floor, and stones that kept heat for a long time and made the temperature of the floor warm and cozy. It was the first type of radiant floor heating, and rich and poor people used it. People have improved it over thousands of years, but its traces can still be found in the Korean peninsula today.
Maintaining your HVAC system, and perhaps setting up a preventive maintenance plan with someone like Blueox Energy, is an excellent investment when it comes to making your house more pleasant and comfortable.
How to Know if you Need to Replace your HVAC System?
HVAC maintenance prolongs system life. But even if you keep it in good condition, each part has a certain amount of time it will last. When you need HVAC repair or any HVAC service, Dallas HVAC installation service offers HVAC installations, repair, and other related HVAC
services. If you haven’t fixed or maintained HVAC systems before, you shouldn’t try to do it yourself.
If you keep up with HVAC maintenance, you can stop many problems that lead to expensive repairs. And always, when you need more clarification, call in a pro. You’ll need new HVAC parts if you’ve been there for a while. Of course, sometimes you know you’ll need a replacement, and sometimes it comes up when you least expect it.
Here Are Some Signs that you might Need to Call a Professional as soon as Possible:
- Your body is only giving off warm air.
- Your system turns off and on by itself sometimes.
- You notice that the air temperature in different parts of your home is different.
- Your system is making strange sounds or is running louder than usual.
- Your energy bills have gone up without you knowing it.
- You notice that there isn’t enough airflow.
If any of these things happen, you should have a technician check them out. If you haven’t fixed or maintained HVAC systems before, you shouldn’t try to do it yourself.
If you keep up with HVAC maintenance, you can stop many problems that lead to expensive repairs. And always, when you need more clarification, call in a pro.
Here Are Some Maintenance Guidelines for you to Look Out for to Keep the HVAC Unit in Shape:
1. Hire a Professional to Do Preventive Maintenance on your HVAC System
Experts recommend tuning the air conditioner in Spring and the heater in Autumn, HVAC installation technicians and companies like FSI Oil & Propane will service, inspect, and troubleshoot the system.
During this maintenance, check to keep it running well and prevent breakdowns.
The technician will do the following:
- Review the thermostat’s settings and its setup.
- As needed, tighten the electrical connections.
- Lubricate all moving parts.
- Check the drain for condensation and clean it as needed.
- Check out how the system works.
- Clean and adjust the details of the blower.
- It would help if you cleaned the evaporator and condenser coils.
- Check the amount of coolant.
- Check fuel line connections.
2. Change the Filter Settings
Check the gas pressure, how well the burners are burning, and the heat exchanger. The filters remove dust, hair, and other pollutants from the air, preventing them from spreading around the house.
Changing the HVAC filter every 30 days can improve your home’s air and use less energy.
When filters are clean, they let more air through, so the system can heat and cool better. MERV 7–13 filters balance airflow and filtration in most scenarios.
3. Check the HVAC System by Looking at it
When you change the filter once a month, check the system to find any potential problems. Inspect the thermostat, interior, exterior, registers, and returns. Besides that, you should also look at the following:
- Check if the thermostat’s batteries are still good.
- Check the condensate system to make sure it’s draining. Make specific the filter access and cabinet door are both closed.
- Attached chimney and in good shape.
- Make sure all registers and returns are open and not blocked.
- Check every record for mold.
- Make sure the outdoor unit is on a flat surface. If you need to level it, use rot-proof shims.
4. Clean up the Area around the HVAC Unit Inside
When you clean the area around your indoor HVAC unit, the air is cleaner and safer to breathe. The more things you leave out, the more places dust can collect and get into the vents.
Clutter also makes it harder for air to move around in the area, which is terrible for the system’s efficiency. Also, clutter can become a fire hazard, cause people to trip, and make it harder to fix things and keep them in good shape.
5. Keep the Outside of the Unit Clean and Clear
The outside HVAC unit is an easy place for leaves, twigs, grass clippings, and other trash to pile up. When doing yard work, clear away trash on and around the unit. Also, hose it down if dirt starts to build up.
Keep plants at least two feet away from the team on all sides by cutting them back. It will help the airflow.
6. Regulate Your Home Temperature
To keep your HVAC in good shape, you should run it at comfortable temperatures. Also, only run it as much when you’re away from home or sleeping.
You should install a programmable thermostat so that the temperature changes at different times of the day. When you’re away, let the house stay warmer in summer and cooler in winter.
The system will operate less, use less power, and last longer.
7. Change your Thermostat’s Batteries
The home’s electrical system hardwires some thermostats while batteries power others. To avoid problems, you should replace batteries at least once a year.
8. Check the CO Detector
Homes that heat with burning fuels, like natural gas or fuel oil, need carbon monoxide detectors. The alert could save your life in the event of an exhaust leak, ventilation issue, gas leak, or other problem.
Devices last roughly seven years. Check and replace the carbon monoxide detector monthly. Change batteries every six months.
9. Track Energy Bills
A sudden or progressive increase in energy use, when usage is unchanged, may state an HVAC system problem. An increase in energy bills is a telltale sign that you have a problem with your air conditioning unit. If you have any concerns about your unit, it’s important to seek out a professional AC Repair company. They will conduct a full inspection and make recommendations regarding the required repairs and/or replacement parts.
Dirty filters, duct leaks, low refrigerant, deteriorating parts, or other factors may cause problems for your HVAC system and in turn, increase your energy bills.
10. Replace Everything
HVAC systems last 15–25 years. System kind, brand, and maintenance consistency affect that timetable. Maintaining your heating and cooling system will extend its lifespan and efficiency.
Energy efficiency decreases as repairs increase.
As the old system starts to fail, please don’t wait for it to crash on the hottest day, coldest night, or while you’re on vacation. Plan and choose when to replace your HVAC system.
You can find local repair companies by searching online for ‘broken Hvac in Nashville‘ (or elsewhere relevant) and reading through the most highly rated reviews. By conducting online research, you can be sure to hire a reputable company that can fix your current system or install a new one if necessary.
For Take Away
If any of these things happen, you should have a technician check them out. If you have yet to do much before fixing or maintaining HVAC systems, try to avoid setting them up yourself.
If you keep up with HVAC maintenance, you can help stop many problems that cause expensive repairs. And always, when you need more clarification, call in a pro.