Regular HVAC Maintenance Is Important
The heating and air conditioning system in your home is one of the most expensive appliances and should therefore be treated with the utmost care. It is crucial to regularly maintain your home comfort system, just as you would maintain your car. The majority of homeowners are unaware that their HVAC system has performance issues until it’s too late and there’s nothing worse than having your HVAC system stop working on one of the coldest nights of the year.
The following are some benefits of regular HVAC Tune-ups:
Lowers Utility Bills
Keeping your AC unit as up-to-date as possible will ensure that it will run smoothly without any build-up that could affect the system’s performance. Your HVAC system has to work harder as build-up accumulates. Your home energy bill will rise since the AC unit has to work harder to achieve the same results. Studies have shown that routine maintenance can cut heating and cooling bills by up to 20%.
Saves Money
Unit maintenance will ensure its efficiency. It also enables you to spot signs of wear and tear as early as possible. Fixing minor issues is less expensive than fixing major ones. Catching hiccups early will prevent them from becoming big, expensive problems. It is common for people to assume their unit is covered by a warranty that will cover repairs. However, a unit’s manufacturer’s warranty becomes void if it does not receive regular maintenance.
Maintains Efficiency
It’s important to be aware of how efficiently your system is running, and how much emergency repairs may cost. You waste energy and money when your system isn’t operating efficiently. It works harder than necessary to distribute air throughout the house. Because your system is working harder than necessary to distribute air throughout the house, you waste energy and money to inefficiency.
Prolongs The Life Of Your HVAC Unit
Professional maintenance is the best way to ensure a longer lifespan of your system. Technicians are trained and certified to perform tune-ups, cleaning, and safety inspections of your system. The life span of the unit can be extended by 30% to 50% with regular maintenance. HVAC systems that are not properly maintained have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years, whereas properly maintained systems can last 15-20 years.
Ensures Safety
When it comes to heating and cooling, many homeowners fail to consider safety. Any good maintenance tune-up includes an evaluation of all electrical connections. A defective connection can pose a fire hazard and harm the affected unit’s life. Furnaces generate fire and carbon monoxide hazards. Gas furnaces should be inspected at least once a year to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide levels produced by your furnace should be checked during a professional inspection. A professional tune-up includes checking the furnace for loose wires, signs of corrosion, and burning or exposed metal in insulated wires.
What You Can Do
Although it’s important to have your cooling and heating unit serviced at least once a year, remember that you can also do some maintenance on your own. A regular change or cleaning of your system’s air filter is one of the easiest and most important things you can do.
A dirty filter is often the cause of a malfunctioning furnace or air conditioner.
Air is pulled through the filter when the unit is on, and impurities and particulates may get trapped. Your unit has to work harder and use more energy when the filter is clogged.
It is recommended to change filters every 3 months depending on the type you use. As per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you should check your air filter monthly. They need to be changed when the filters appear even slightly dirty, especially during heavy usage seasons such as winter and summer.
How to Change Your Air Filter
- Switch off your HVAC system. You can do this at the thermostat, directly on the unit, or you can flip the breaker.
- Find your air filter. Filters are typically located near a ceiling or wall return grille or near the air handler, which is generally located in the crawl space, attic, or utility area of the house.
- Access the filter by removing the wall or ceiling fasteners, or by removing the unit’s cover plate.
- Clean the old dirty filter and/or remove it. When the filter is clean, put it back into place, but if it is dirty, remove it and throw it away.
- Purchase a replacement filter. You can select the appropriate filter once you’ve determined the correct size.
- Install the new air filter by finding the small arrow at the top of the filter. The filter should be placed in the direction of airflow. This is typically the direction in which you face the blower on an air handler. Ensure that the frame of your furnace filter (usually a solid black arrow) points to the furnace. Filters are one-direction devices, which means that if you install the filter reversed, it won’t function as efficiently as it should.
- Ensure the grill or cover plate is replaced. Make sure that everything is tightly fastened. When done, turn the unit on.
When your furnace is functioning well, you may think that scheduling an annual tune-up is unnecessary. However, the peace of mind and comfort you gain in return will be worth it now and in the long run.
Contact the experts at Pacific Aire for help in choosing the right filter for your system and to schedule your next HVAC tune-up.
Pacific Aire recommends regular inspection. These tune-ups are free of charge if you are a club member. The Elite Club Membership entitles covered equipment to two annual tune-ups with free filter changes. Join our HVAC Maintenance Club today! If you would like to know the other benefits of being a club member, visit https://www.pacaire.com/club-membership/ or call us at 805-737-2564.
