Annual HVAC Maintenance – Why It’s So Important for Your Home

Posted by admin on May 15, 2014, at 4:55 pm

Your HVAC system might not be the first thing you think of when you’re thinking about what makes a house a home, but it plays a huge part in your home’s livability and comfort. And if you take into account the fact that about half of your monthly energy bills goes straight into heating and cooling, you can see that your HVAC system is a big player in your household.

But like any appliance, and especially appliances which operate for long periods of time and have important moving parts, HVAC units like furnaces and air conditioners experience wear and tear that can lower their efficiency and even their operating safety. Keeping up on annual HVAC system maintenance is important to keep your system functioning as well as it can, and having an annual HVAC system maintenance agreement is a wise choice for conscientious homeowners. You can reap a lot of benefits from performing some simple maintenance tasks yourself, and having a professional in every year to look over your system.

What HVAC Maintenance Can You Do on Your Own?

While annual HVAC maintenance visits go a long way toward keeping your system functioning at its best, there’s a lot that you can do year-round to improve and maintain your HVAC system. Here are a few tasks to incorporate into your housekeeping routine:

• Replace the HVAC air filters every month. These filters prevent particles like dust, pollen, mold spores and pet dander from being pulled into the units and clogging up the heating and cooling system. But as a result of this, the filters themselves become clogged. A clogged air filter prevents airflow, causing pressure drops in the HVAC system, and that means that the fan motor has to work harder and that air circulation through your home suffers. Clogged air filters are the most common cause of burnt-out HVAC systems, but you don’t need a professional to change them. You can buy and replace air filters yourself without too much difficulty.
• Dust and vacuum the vents in every room every month. Just as a clogged air filter prevents airflow through the system, clogged vents prevent airflow into and out of your living spaces. If too many vents are clogged, it could cause the same sorts of problems for your furnace and air conditioner as a clogged air filter. If just a few vents are clogged, it might not cause system damage, but you’ll notice that some rooms are consistently less comfortable. As a related note, be aware of vent locations when arranging or decorating a room. You don’t want your vent blocked by a bookshelf, for example.
• Inspect your attic for sufficient insulation. Attics are the locations of heat loss in winter as warm, rising air carries warmth upward and heat gain in summer as the sun beats down on the roof, and that heat is transferred to the indoor air. Insulating attic spaces can help your home maintain a comfortable temperature year-round. While some forms of insulation should be installed by a professional, others can be deployed by the homeowner.
• Inspect ducts for damage and for proper insulation. For ducts which pass through unconditioned, non-habitable areas of your home such as crawl spaces and wall cavities, insulation can prevent them from shedding heat in winter or gaining heat in summer. This means that the conditioned air which reaches your living areas will be better able to bring them to a comfortable temperature. Duct leaks can also impact this ability, as conditioned air can escape into crawlspaces and never reach your living areas.

If you notice a maintenance task that you can’t perform on your own, such as repairing or replacing a damaged segment of duct, don’t hesitate to call your HVAC professionals!

What Will the Professionals Look At During Annual HVAC System Maintenance?

One of the benefits of having an annual HVAC system maintenance agreement is that you can build up a relationship with your HVAC professionals, and they can maintain notes on any recurring areas of concern that you might have. To learn more about staying cool and reducing cooling costs with ceiling fans, please contact us at Henscey Electric, Heating & Air Conditioning, proudly serving Dayton and Southeast Texas since 1980.