How do you keep your HVAC System Running its Best?
It is best practice to have an annual maintenance inspection performed to check components and refrigerant charge.
If you haven’t had your annual HVAC inspection or maintenance it may be time to. Annual maintenances are very important and will help ensure you maximize the life of your HVAC system.
Why is your HVAC maintenance so important?
The main reason for the preventative maintenance is keeping your HVAC system in top working order. This way you can enjoy every season in comfort. It’s easy to forget that each season your AC or furnace runs is like putting 10k miles on your vehicle. It is the same with your heating and cooling system. Every season equates to more wear and tear on your unit.
But what would happen if you didn’t pay attention to the important things in life?
If you don’t pay attention to your spouse they will probably get mad. If you don’t change the oil in your car it will blow up. So it’s much better to know that your HVAC system is working great rather than letting it breakdown when you need it most.
Even very expensive HVAC systems will breakdown. So preventing a costly repair is a much better option to have with annual HVAC maintenance.
Are there a lot of benefits that you will get with an annual HVAC System Maintenance?
So you may be wondering what you can expect with a maintained HVAC system.
Even though your home or office is staying warm or cool, a tune-up from a certified HVAC technician will keep your HVAC running as it should. This will help ensure your system is not running inefficiently. Which will affect your energy bills? Dirty coils and filters will drive energy costs up and also can cause premature failure of components.
There is also a lower chance a major malfunction or a complete breakdown of your HVAC system. Can you picture it? It is the middle of a sweltering hot summer day in Concord, NH and your air conditioning system breaks down. Everyone is hot, sweaty, cranky, and looking for some relief. If there was annual maintenance done on the HVAC system this problem would of most likely been averted.
So we have told you about how the system will breakdown if it is not maintained. There is also the fact that it will make the system have a much longer lifespan. When one part goes bad, it can cause the collateral failure of other HVAC components to go to fail. This can in some circumstances cause major components of a system to fail to result sometimes an entire system replacement.
But the most common reason for an annual HVAC maintenance tune-up is having fewer repairs. Having a tune-up can keep you from having to wait to tell a weird smell comes in your vents or a loud ac turning on. An HVAC technician will be able to catch these issues before the problem gets to a part failure. Preventative repairs often times are recommended at the time of service which then allows for a smoother operation of a system, longer life and also can avoid nuisance no heat or no cool calls during hot and cold snaps.
There are some things you can maintain on your HVAC system yourself.
A few things you can plan to do yourself in between the visits of your HVAC technician is:
- Change the air filter in your HVAC system every month. Having a free flowing system without any blockage on the filter helps improve efficiency and reduces wear on the system.
- If this is an outdoor unit be sure to remove all the debris you can from around the HVAC system. This will protect the unit and allow for better airflow.
- Keep your outdoor unit clean. Just simply hose it off to get rid of any accumulated dirt that is on the HVAC system.
- Trim back plants and bushes from your HVAC system. We recommend at least a foot and a half.
The Maintenance You Should Leave to the Pros at Live Free Heating Cooling Electric in Concord, NH
There are a lot of DIY people out there in NH. We think that is great. But when it comes to your HVAC system a trained technician has the tools and skills needed to perform a top of the line tune-up.
Live Free Heating Cooling Electric will:
- Perform a 15 point inspection that checks all safety controls and measures the proper operation of components and voltage. Perform combustion efficiency test on heating systems and refrigerant charge level check on ac systems.
- Tighten all electrical connections that could be loose: A loose connection on your HVAC system is dangerous. These will cause issues that will shorten the HVAC equipment’s lifespan. The certified HVAC technician also will measure the voltage and the current on all HVAC equipment motors.
- Check all motors and fans that oil is not leaking from self-contained motors which can cause the bearings to seize and a motor to run less effectively and efficiently and can cause the motor to overheat and eventually break down.
- Inspect the condensate drain: When your HVAC equipment runs it creates condensation. This condensation accumulates and then is drained from the system to another area. Keeping the condensation from pooling inside your home. Over time these drains can become clogged with algae and mold, creating a backup or stoppage. You rHVAC technician will make sure that this is clear during the tune-up of your system.
- Check the HVAC system controls: The system has a particular order of operation. The HVAC technician will make sure that these operations are done correctly.
- Clean the condenser coil on your HVAC system: Dirty condenser coils will slowly reduce the efficiency of your and make the equipment run for a longer period of time. Having the coils cleaned annually is important to the maintained condition of the A/C’s capacity, thus ensuring a lower energy bill and prolonging the HVAC equipment life.
- Checking the refrigerant charge of the HVAC system (cooling specific): It may sound counter-intuitive, but if an HVAC system is overcharged at installation then it will create a higher energy bill. If the charge is to low that could be a sign of a leak in the HVAC system, both can cause freezing of a system.
- Check airflow over the coils at the outdoor condenser and also inside the home. During this check, we will inspect the degrees of cooling in the home to ensure the system is doing its job effectively.
Live Free Heating Cooling Electric in Concord, NH is a the choice when it comes to maintaining your HVAC system. Having a certified HVAC technician come to maintain your HVAC system twice a year will promote a high-efficiency system and create the comfortable environment you want.
Give us a call today to schedule your annual maintenance.