Why Regular HVAC Maintenance Will Prevent Big Problems

Like all installations, HVAC systems must undergo routine care and maintenance. If you do not maintain and clean the HVAC system, it will become less efficient, and eventually, the system will stop working altogether. When this happens, you will have to install a replacement for your heating or cooling system. By having your system maintained on a regular basis, you can count on your HVAC system, delivering consistently good performance for a very long time.

Your HVAC system enables your home or commercial building to be clean and comfortable. It will recycle stale air and maintain the temperature in the building at a constant temperature, no matter whether the temperature is hot or cold outside. It is necessary to spend time and money maintaining your HVAC system properly because it is such a critical component of a home or commercial building.

To ensure that your HVAC system works properly, you should hire a professional technician to service the system regularly. You can obtain an annual HVAC maintenance contract at a reasonable price. Here are the tasks a professional technician should do when servicing your HVAC system:

1. Check And Change The Filters

Filters can get clogged and dirty quite easily, especially if the environment is very dusty. The filters in the HVAC system keep the air clean by trapping dust, germs, and other airborne particles. If the filters are not cleaned or replaced with new filters on a regular basis, the performance of the HVAC system will suffer. The cooling and heating functions will become less efficient, and the quality of the indoor air will decline. An important part of maintaining the HVAC system is checking and changing the filters regularly.

2. Inspect The System Visually

You should have a professional visually inspect the HVAC system every year to ensure that every component is working properly. This is an important part of maintaining an HVAC system. If you neglect having the system inspected, it can fail in the middle of winter. This can be a disaster for you, as you will have to find other sources of heat until the system can be fixed. Having regular inspections and maintenance keeps the system in good shape and helps it to last longer.

3. Clean And Remove Dirt

The air filters are not the only components affected by dust and dirt. Other moving parts can also be covered with dust and debris, including condensing units, blowers, and various moving parts. When too much debris collects on vital parts of the HVAC system, it will cause damage. A trained professional can clean the dust and debris carefully to ensure there is no damage to internal systems.

4. Check the Condensate Drain

It is very important that the condensate drain of the air conditioning unit and heat pump are free of debris and clogs. A clog can block the flow of water that has condensed and will cause the accumulation of moisture in the system. This excess moisture can lead to other problems, including uneven temperatures in various parts of the property, property damage due to water leaks, poor air quality, the spread of bacteria and mold, and high levels of humidity indoors. A trained professional will clean and flush the condensate drain and ensure that excess water can flow out freely.

5. Check Thermostat Settings

HVAC systems usually have a programmable thermostat, so homeowners can create a schedule to control temperatures. As an example, you can lower the thermostat when you are not home so that the system does not work harder than necessary. The technician will check how well the thermostat is functioning to ensure the device measures temperature accurately. If there is a discrepancy between the actual temperature and the thermostat setting, the technician must check the performance of the thermostat and the functioning of the entire system.

6. Check Electrical Connections

A lot of people are not aware that HVAC electrical connections may loosen or break altogether as they get older. This can hurt the performance of the entire system, and it can become so damaged that you will have to replace the furnace or air conditioner. Your maintenance professional will check the electrical connections and evaluate the entire system. They will look to see if any of the wires have become damaged or frayed and will replace them to reduce the risk that the system could catch fire or that a component might fail.

7. Lubricate The Moving Parts

There are many moving parts in the HVAC compressors and furnaces. These parts need regular lubrication to reduce friction and wear and tear. The professional technicians will clean all moving parts of the system and lubricate them properly to reduce friction. This process should be done on a regular basis to prevent damage to the HVAC system.

8. Inspect Exhaust Outlets

The exhaust outlets in an HVAC system prevent the buildup of gases such as carbon monoxide by allowing dangerous gas to escape from your property. If these outlets become clogged, dangerous gases can build up and endanger your safety. The technician will check all exhaust outlets, including the vent stack and chimney flue. They will check for signs of leaks, corrosion, or backdraft, and will fix the problems during the maintenance call.

9. Check Connections And Fuel Lines

It is very important that gas fuel lines to the furnace get checked regularly. Leaking fuel such as natural gas can be very dangerous as it creates a fire hazard. A disconnected fuel line will affect the efficiency of the heating system. The system will also become less efficient if there is a build-up of soot in the burners or if a heat exchanger has cracks. The technicians can assess all these potential problems and carefully remove clogs and soot.

10. Check Levels Of Refrigerant

Your air conditioning system needs to have the proper amount of refrigerant in order to cool the air. If the level of refrigerant is too low, the compressor must work harder to reach the temperature desired. This can damage the entire air conditioning system and may mean you will eventually have to have it replaced.

The Importance Of HVAC System Maintenance

We are a company that constantly emphasizes the importance of HVAC maintenance to its’ customers. A dependable HVAC maintenance schedule will ensure that your system runs smoothly. Also, your system will be more reliable and last for longer. Some service requests we receive are the result of people not maintaining their HVAC units correctly. Here are a few things that might occur, if you fail to organize any maintenance:

The Thermostat Will Not Function Properly

If your thermostat stops working correctly, your HVAC system might not switch on when it is meant to, or switch off when you want it to. As well as being harmful to the system, this also negatively impacts the living environment of your loved ones.

Filthy Coils

The evaporator coil in your HVAC system is situated on the unit indoors, and functions similar to a radiator – to ensure that the air traveling through the ductwork is cooled or heated correctly. A filthy evaporator coil might limit airflow, which drastically reduces the efficiency of the unit. The filth sometimes harbors mildew and mold, lowering the quality of air indoors.

Over the warmer months, the condenser coil on your outside HVAC unit works to eliminate the warm air it comes into contact with. If the coil is clean, it can carry out this process more efficiently. If it is filthy, though, the efficiency of the unit will drop dramatically, increasing your utility bills and decreasing the lifespan of the unit.

A Filthy Filter

The purpose of air filters on HVAC units is to block any dander, allergens, pollen, and other particles in the atmosphere that could damage your health. Good air filters provide you with high-quality air indoors, which prevents illnesses and shortens the time you have to suffer them when they do occur. If an air filter becomes filthy, particles in the atmosphere are not blocked and can enter your property through the ductwork. Then, they will be inhaled by your loved ones.

Clogged Condenser

The condenser is a crucial part of an HVAC system. It is in charge of condensing, subcooling and desuperheating, to ensure that the air flowing through your property is the correct temperature. If the condenser becomes clogged, the normal heat transfer will be unable to happen, so the temperature of the condenser will increase. Once this occurs, the HVAC system will not function effectively and, if left uncared for, it might burn out.

Leaking Units

A leak in an HVAC system can originate from a variety of sources: debris or dirt might be blocking the drain hole, the pump in the condenser might be broken, the unit seals are too loose, or the hose is blocked or clogged. Any of these problems can arise if you fail to maintain your unit properly.

Power Outages

Included in our maintenance scheme is a yearly twenty-one point assessment, where we will ensure that your HVAC system can fire up correctly and switch off correctly. If it can not, you will become highly frustrated when your property is too cold or warm, because the thermostat settings can’t be changed.

Filthy Blower

An HVAC blower is meant to push cool or hot air throughout your property. If it becomes filthy, it needs extra energy to function, which costs you money. If the blower becomes too filthy, it will stop working completely. In this instance, most HVAC contractors recommend installing a new HVAC unit.