As we are nearing the end of the cooling season, it’s time to do some maintenance on your a/c unit.
We’re here to help you save money on maintaining your HVAC system. While more complicated maintenance should be performed by a professional HVAC technician, there are some things you can easily handle yourself.
It’s important to keep your heating and cooling system properly maintained so that it operates more efficiently and has a longer operating life. Tip: Change Or Clean Your Air Filter Regularly
Your a/c unit depends upon the air filter to run efficiently. This is how your unit pulls in air to cool. If the filter is dirty, it won’t be able to pull in as much air.
It’s also important to consider that it will actually cost your more money to run your unit if the filter is dirty. This is because your air conditioner will have to work harder to bring in air through the filter.
If you have disposable pleated filters, you need to change them a minimum of once per month. Also consider the amount of allergens or other air pollutants in your home. People with pets and allergy sufferers could need to change their filters more often.
Some units have higher-efficiency filters built in and need changed less often. If you are unsure, contact us and we can help you figure out which kind of filter you have and how often you should change it. Our Planned Maintenance Agreements also cover some filter changes depending upon your unit. A certified HVAC technician will come out to your home and do a routine maintenance visit and check your filter. Did you know that changing your filter helps prevent dust build-up in your home?
Tip: Remove Debris From Your Outside Unit
It’s common for things like shrubs, grass clippings, and other outside debris to collect around your outside air unit.
We recommend for you to make this a regular part of your landscaping routine. After you’re done cutting the grass or watering the lawn, do a quick check of your a/c unit. Clear away any debris that has collected and keep landscaping trimmed back and away from the unit. These kinds of things will hinder air flow in and out of the system. This can cause decreased air flow within your home and higher energy costs if the system has to work harder.
Tip: Check For Air Leaks With An Incense Stick To keep your air conditioner running as efficiently as possible, it’s important to ensure there aren’t any air leaks in your home. Air leaks can happen around doorways, windows, electrical outlets, and your duct work. Hold a lit incense stick around known problem areas and see if the smoke moves. If you see the smoke moving, that means there’s a leak. (Make sure you aren’t standing right under a fan or air duct, though!) You can use duct tape around any duct work with leaks. This could also be used as a quick fix around windows, but it looks better to take the time to use caulking in those areas. Not only will you be helping keep the inside out, sealing air leaks also helps your system run more efficiently- saving you money! Call Outstanding Heating and Cooling For Your HVAC Service
We recommend having in-depth maintenance performed on your unit twice per year. When we visit your home to perform our maintenance checks, we will clean your unit in detail, test that your unit is working properly, and change your filter. We will recommend any repairs you may need- if any- and give you tips on how you can help your system perform as efficiently as possible. When we perform our detailed maintenance checks, we professionally inspect and clean all aspects of your unit. We also test the components of your unit with our equipment. Our technicians will be able to tell if you have a refrigerant leak in your air conditioning unit, or if your furnace will need additional service. Planned maintenance checks help you to ensure your system is running properly. It also helps alert you to any potential issues you may have arise. We recommend having professional maintenance on your unit prior to the air conditioning and furnace seasons. This makes sure your system is ready to go for the weather ahead. Having this maintenance done also helps to ensure you foresee any problems before you are depending upon the unit for the safety and comfort of your home. There’s nothing worse than flipping on your furnace for the first time and discovering it isn’t working properly. Before you know it you’re cold, nighttime is coming, and you’re without heat! Our Planned Maintenance Agreements not only give you seasonal checks, it also provides you with priority service if you have any service call needs throughout the year. Call to become a member of our Planned Maintenance program. If you have any questions or would like more details, please ask us! 937-439-4696
This article was originally published on 7/28/2018. It was updated and re-published on 8/5/2019.
