Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system plays a crucial role in keeping your family’s utmost comfort inside the home. However, as time passes by, your HVAC may fail due to normal wear and tear, lack of routine maintenance, and pest damage, among other reasons. So how do you make your home comfortable all year round using your HVAC system? Below are some helpful tips to attain this goal:
1. Perform Annual Routine HVAC Maintenance
In the United States, your HVAC system needs to undergo routine maintenance with the help of a qualified HVAC Colorado Springs technician. Routine maintenance helps address any existing and adjacent issues with your system. Compliance with this expert advice is essential in ensuring a comfortable home all year round.
A licensed HVAC technician will conduct a complete inspection and cleaning. Here’s a list of the services included in professional HVAC maintenance:
- Checking system controls and calibrating thermostat settings
- Cleaning existing air filter and other parts as needed
- Tightening electrical connections
- Lubricating moving parts
- Checking and condensation of drain line
- Measuring voltage and amperage of blower control for proper operation
- Inspecting and testing capacitors, ductwork, and fan blades
- Compressor monitoring, measuring amperage, and wiring connections
2. Assess Early Warning Signs
It’s important to be aware of the early warning signs of HVAC malfunctioning to tackle them as soon as possible. When you suspect an issue, you can troubleshoot or contact one of the most reputable HVAC contractors in your area to check your system.
Check the following signs for a failing HVAC system:
- Odd noises such as squeaking sounds and strange odors like burnt plastic smell
- Not providing comfortable temperature as expected or inconsistent temperatures
- Surprisingly skyrocketing energy bills
- Power fluctuations
3. Summer Maintenance
The temperature increases across the country during summertime and it can be frustrating dealing with a malfunctioning HVAC system. So what are the best HVAC maintenance tips to help you get through the summer?
- Replace Air Filters: Your air conditioning units have air filters. Change them every one to three months before the summer. Households with children, senior citizens, and pets should change the air filters of air conditioning units more often.
- Inspect The Wiring: Turn off your HVAC system, open the access panel, and check any blackened or burned wires. Contact an HVAC technician to replace those.
- Upgrade Your Thermostat: You can upgrade your programmable thermostat into a WiFi model to gain access to your thermostat via an internet connection. By doing this, you can save on energy costs.
- Inspect The Condenser Unit Fan: The unit fan of your condenser located outside may get damaged because of debris accumulation. You need to replace the fan immediately if severe damage occurs or you experience temperature problems.
- Clean The Outdoor Condenser Unit: Remove any leaves, grass, dirt, and other debris in your outside condenser by hand. Switch off your unit and clean the dirt with a garden hose.
4. Winter Maintenance
A failing HVAC system hinders you from enjoying a cozy and warm home during winter. That’s why it’s important to replace your air filters before the start of the cooling season if you haven’t done this yet. Inspect your heat pump coils during winter for ice build-up and defrost your heat pump as needed.
Vacuum your home, especially the air vents to prevent blockages. This step is also important to keep your home’s indoor air quality good. If you notice build-up on the air vents, schedule professional air duct cleaning to get rid of the grime and grit inside the vents.
Here are the other maintenance tips before winter strikes:
- Add Some Insulation: Good insulation helps improve your home’s overall efficiency. In particular, check if your attic has adequate insulation. Call a licensed HVAC technician for expert advice if you’re unsure what to do.
- Check Your Thermostat: Check if your thermostat has good batteries. Set the thermostat to a cooler temperature during the night and increase it when you’re at home. Upgrade your thermostat to a programmable one, so you can set it on the most efficient setting depending on the season.
- Cover Your AC Unit Outside: Use an outdoor unit cover to protect your outdoor AC unit from debris build-up, ice, and snow.
Conclusion
Now that you know the best HVAC tips to attain a comfortable home all year round, you’ll have peace of mind that your system always stays in good condition. Prompt intervention is the key to avoid dealing with a major heating and cooling problem. You can always rely on professional HVAC services if you suspect any problem with your HVAC system.