Staying home for a long time can mean you'll need to install some replacement parts for your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. To keep your system running at its best quality for as long as possible, preventive maintenance should be performed twice a year. It's best to schedule these visits in spring and fall, when the air conditioning and heat aren't very intense. Filters remove dust, hair, and other particles from the air so that these pollutants don't spread throughout the house.
You can improve the air quality inside your home and use less energy by changing the HVAC filter every 30 days. Clean filters allow more air to pass through, allowing the system to heat and cool more efficiently. For most systems, filters with a MERV rating between seven and 13 offer an excellent balance between filtration capacity and maximum air flow. The average lifespan of an air conditioning system is between 15 and 25 years. Several variables can increase or decrease that time frame, including system type, brand, and maintenance consistency.
By taking care of your heating and cooling system diligently, you'll maximize its lifespan and maintain greater efficiency for a longer period of time. If your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is near the end of its average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, but you have no plans to buy a newer one, it's essential that your old system be serviced regularly. As we mentioned before, you should change your filters every 30 to 90 days. You'd be surprised how many people don't do this. A clean filter greatly improves the efficiency of your air conditioning unit. Dirty filters mean your equipment has to work much harder to keep your home at the temperature you want.
Buying a new filter every month may seem expensive, but you'll recover those costs many times over in reduced energy bills. There's no reason to keep a humidifier running in summer. When the weather starts to cool in late summer or early fall, and you're thinking of turning on the heating, install a new filter and set the humidifier to a humidity of around 40 percent. Then turn on the water supply. You can restrict the things on your annual HVAC maintenance checklist to a single system, such as the air conditioner.
If you follow this list and make sure you're doing the right tasks at the right times, your air conditioning system should work well for a long time. The refrigerant lines that come from your HVAC unit to your home are what ensure that you have the heating or cooling you need. However, regular maintenance means fewer repair problems because your HVAC technician will detect them ahead of time. You might be wondering if you're getting the same services as some of your neighbors if you already have an HVAC preventive maintenance contract. These are just a few of the routine HVAC maintenance actions that will extend the life of your heating and cooling system and reduce costly repairs:
- Change filters every 30-90 days
- Install new filters when turning on heating
- Restrict HVAC maintenance checklist to single system
- Check outdoor unit regularly
- Maintain comfortable temperatures
- Keep humidifier at 40% humidity
Keep up to date with air conditioning maintenance and you can help prevent many of the common problems that cause costly repairs. Maintaining your HVAC includes operating it at temperatures that are comfortable and avoiding running it both while you are away from home or sleeping. Check the outdoor unit regularly and make sure there is at least two feet of free space around any air conditioning unit or HVAC heat pump. Some preventive measures could be taken to avoid expensive HVAC repairs, maintaining heating and cooling, and replacing components.
During these maintenance checks, companies and HVAC installation technicians will thoroughly inspect and troubleshoot the system to keep it operating efficiently and prevent breakdowns. Consider scheduling two seasonal HVAC adjustments each year, one in spring for air conditioning and one in fall for heating.
