The Importance of Home HVAC System Maintenance
When was the last time you had your HVAC system serviced? They operate on a daily basis, sometimes without our knowing how hard they work to keep us comfortable.
For far too many of us, it isn't until something goes horribly wrong that we realize we should have paid closer attention to them. You may be able to avoid the hassle of failures entirely if you maintain your HVAC system on a regular basis.
What Benefits Does HVAC Maintenance Provide?
It is suggested to maintain your HVAC system twice a year. The winters it is bitterly cold, and the summers can be oppressively hot, so having your unit inspected in the spring and autumn will ensure that it is ready for lengthy seasons of continuous usage.
This will have a number of advantages for you and your family.
Increase Efficiency and Reduce Utility Bills
There are several ways for an HVAC system to eventually become inefficient. It depends on a tidy collection of components to provide heat and cooling without overworking itself. Even replacing your air filter every 30-90 days may help to improve the effectiveness of your system.
The air filter isn't the only part of the vehicle that accumulates dirt and dust over time. To increase the cooling of your system, the expert will clean the evaporator coils and the condenser coils.
The evaporator coils are housed in the air handler, which is often found in the basement or attic. As air from the home flows over the evaporator coils, the refrigerant in the coils draws heat away from the air and converts it to vapour.
The condenser unit, a big metal box positioned outside the residence, is at the opposite end of the system. With the aid of your outside fan, the condenser coils in the unit discharge heat into the outside air. Because both the evaporator and condenser coils depend on heat exchange with the surrounding air, any accumulated filth might hinder the process.
If dust or debris collects on the evaporator coils, the refrigerant will take less heat from the air before it reaches the blower. If the condenser coils suffer the same fate, they will be unable to release as much heat, and the refrigerant will not be completely cooled before reaching the evaporator.
In any instance, the air entering your house will be warmer. To maintain the appropriate temperature, your system will have to operate longer and more often.
Parts Lubrication and Adjustment
There are several fast-moving pieces that keep the air in your house cold and flowing, including the compressor motor, air blower, and condenser. The tune-up of these pieces is one of the most important features of an HVAC check.
Parts might become loose, out of alignment, or lose lubrication over time. An odd noise, such as banging, scraping, whining, or squealing, is a tell-tale indicator of a defective A/C, and typically signals that a substantial repair is likely to be required.
By having a specialist check the moving components and make required modifications, you can prevent wear on your parts as well as the noises and troubles that come with it. They'll tighten and oil fans, replace belts, calibrate the blower, and do any other small repairs necessary to keep the system running.
Because your system components will have less resistance, they will not only survive longer but will also work more effectively, saving you money in the short and long run.
Improved Air Quality
Your air conditioner may be having a greater impact on your health than you know. Managing your home's indoor air quality (IAQ) allows you to prevent both the immediate and long-term health repercussions of breathing in toxins. One of the most effective ways to improve your home's IAQ is to have a professional evaluate and clean your air ducts.
Unless you have specific concerns with your house or an extreme sensitivity to dust and germs, air ducts should be cleaned every 3-5 years. Individuals suffering from asthma, allergies, or respiratory issues would most likely need more frequent visits or more air filtration.
Air duct cleaning reduces the quantity of dust and debris flowing in your home, hence reducing the amount of cleaning required. More significantly, you can prevent a slew of harmful health impacts linked to poor air quality, including:
- Dizziness and exhaustion
- Throat discomfort
- Itching in the eyes and nose
You may develop more long-term heart or lung problems if you are exposed to fumes, smoke, mold, or toxic materials over an extended period of time.
Professionals with this expertise can effectively assess and enhance air quality in your house, as well as execute the necessary cleaning and maintenance duties to satisfy the requirements of your family. They may also advise on improved practices, such as selecting the proper air filters and investing in air purifiers.
Make Your Home More Secure
The winter may wreak havoc on your plumbing if you do not maintain your heating system. A frozen or burst pipe is a huge safety hazard as well as a huge expenditure that may be avoided by keeping your HVAC in top shape.
A busted pipe is annoying, but there are other safety concerns with your HVAC that must be addressed. To heat and chill your house, your furnace and air conditioner depend on potentially hazardous characteristics. By having an HVAC specialist do frequent inspections, you can address a number of safety problems.
Carbon monoxide is a common byproduct of a furnace producing heat, but in a well-sealed system, these gases are kept and discharged outside the residence. A breach in a heat exchanger, no matter how minor, may let pollutants into living rooms while also posing a fire threat.
During an HVAC tune-up, your expert will adjust the gas pressure, clean the burner, and examine the pipes and heat exchanger for any problems. Your heater will burn more smoothly and cleanly, reducing the likelihood of failure and saving your heating expenditures.
Conserve the Environment
Refrigerant, like carbon monoxide, is a very poisonous component of a heating and cooling system. Refrigerant is held in the pipes and coils that cool the air in your house.
R22, a hazardous chemical that depletes the ozone layer and may cause significant health problems if breathed, is utilised in older systems. The older R22 is being phased out in favour of the newer R410a, which is safer but still dangerous to people, animals, and the environment.
Leaks are harmful and difficult to detect regardless of the technology. You might be dealing with a refrigerant issue for a long time without noticing that your system is taking longer to cool.
An inspection will detect issues early, preventing overworking your system and posing a health risk. If a problem is discovered, your technician will repair and recharge your air conditioner, safeguarding both your house and the environment.
Extend the Life of Your System
An HVAC system is one of the costliest investments you can make in your house, and you can do a lot to safeguard it by scheduling regular checkups. Your system should last 12-15 years on average, but you can expect to replace it sooner if you don't take care of the essential components.
A new system will cost at least a few thousand dollars. With regular tune-ups that relieve strain on your system, you may postpone that large investment by 3-5 years. At the same time, you prevent big repair expenditures that arise from time to time.
Avoid Repair Expenses
The most apparent advantage of HVAC system maintenance is that it saves money by lowering repair costs. An examination will assist you in making modest adjustments that, if left alone, might result in catastrophic failures. If you skip a tune-up, a $50-100 inspection might turn into a $500+ repair.
"But wait," you may be thinking, "shouldn't my warranty cover any repairs for the first few years?"
Sure, it could! The fact is that many companies' 5 to 10-year limited warranties will only cover components and not the compressor. You'll often have to pay out-of-pocket for the additional hours it takes to remedy anything, which will normally cost at least twice as much as an inspection.
All of this implies that your warranty will cover the cost of the replacement components. If you haven't had frequent checks, the manufacturer may cancel your guarantee entirely.
You'll save hundreds of dollars in repair and replacement expenses if you maintain your vehicle on a regular basis. As an added benefit to many HVAC maintenance plans, you may also get large savings on work should you require a repair call.
Plan Your Next HVAC Inspection
It's simple to lose track of your HVAC system's maintenance. When you own a house, you have a lot on your plate, and certain errands may inevitably go through the gaps. It's never too late, thankfully, to start aiding your system and yourself. Assume you're getting your HVAC system ready for the season. Schedule an inspection by Boca Raton AC tech and tune-up to begin living more comfortably today.