If you have an HVAC system installed in your home, you might have considered maintaining it yourself to save some bucks. There are many effective ways you can do that without damaging your unit. Although DIY maintenance for HVAC isn’t always advised, if you are willing to learn how to do it the right way, then here are some quick HVAC maintenance tips for homeowners.
Do you ever wonder how HVAC systems operate? When it’s 108 degrees and your HVAC is producing refreshing cool air to keep the temperatures of your house low and comfortable. Since we are so used to the concept of air conditioning we fail to realize that. There are a bunch of factors that play a vital role in such a performance from the HVAC. We will discuss some of them in this blog.
Keep Your Vents and Registers Clean
Maintaining air circulation in the system is a simple but effective way. When ductwork is contaminated with dust or debris, the air entering and exiting the system becomes dirty and less efficient in cooling or heating your house. This increases your electric bill and can reduce your air conditioning’s life expectancy.
If you put your vent or garage into good shape, you must identify what areas of your home are collecting dust and debris. This could go anywhere between registers or vents. Once you know where the dirt is going, you can focus more on cleaning those parts frequently.
Check Your Heating System For Leaks
The biggest problems in HVAC are leaks. The HVAC unit may have a leakage problem, and the air quality may have decreased. First, find out how much of a leak occurred. Is there a condensing system? What about fans? If you can find the source of the leaking water, you should immediately inspect the area to see if there is leaking water or not.
If there is water damage, immediately contact a water damage repair company. If the water is leaking, it’s time to check the system. Does the air conditioner buzz? Are the temperatures changing? Is your home cooled or warmer? All of these questions will help you locate the leakage and fix it.
Don't Close Your Vents
Most newly acquired homeowners do this too. In some cases, homeowners shut off air conditioners and heating vents in places they never use because they save energy. It reduces HVAC efficiency. During the heating process, heat is distributed equally between two objects.
If it’s your residence, heat will get into your room without vents, and the heating system must work harder. Having the ventilation valve closed allows for uniform temperature distribution in all rooms of your house and ensures efficient operation—bonus points to keep the vent clean to prevent allergies.
Clean the Evaporator Coil and Drain Regularly
A ductless evaporator coil should be cleaned or drained frequently to ensure adequate cooling. Evaporators are part of an AC system that cools and accumulates mineral deposits as time passes. It may result in less efficient power usage, which will result in higher costs.
Evaporators and drains can be easily cleaned with the appropriate accessories in a commercial air cleaner. If your vacuum cleaner will clean the surface, be sure the proper attachment is used, like a wand and hoses.
Clean Debris and Dust From Your Outdoor Units
The furnace and air conditioner system’s exterior unit will catch dirt and other debris if they interfere with the air conditioning. Keep your cooling unit running for years and reduce your energy usage. When cleaning an exterior room may require the removal of the fan grill to clear out every surface of the room.
Before using this method, turn on your power cord first to ensure your safety. Then, you can clean the areas which cannot be reached using hoses and buckets. Clean up the surrounding parts so that the equipment can function correctly.
Use A Programmable Thermostat
The heating and cooling units are crucial to the safety and efficiency of any heating system. Adaptive temperature control allows for setting time to turn on heat or cooling, alerting you when something has broken down.
You may choose to cool a particular room and then warm it. It will be helpful, particularly during summer when you want to avoid the entire house being cooled or heated respectively. Also, a thermostat is an efficient and reliable method for saving electricity and keeping the temperature stable for longer.
Change or Clean Your Air Filter Regularly
An excellent way to maintain an efficient air conditioning unit is to change and clean your filters frequently. They’ll remove large particles from the air before reaching your indoor air quality monitoring devices. If the filter doesn’t clean or is faulty, it will be more difficult for the system to remove the contaminants. Clean air filters also improve efficiency. The filter needs to be removed and replaced with another filter when conducting maintenance.
Indulge in Routine Maintenance
It seems obvious there are some essential maintenance parts you could do if you are a homeowner but that does NOT imply skipping other maintenance parts. Ensure that your HVAC equipment is maintained correctly. In most cases, maintenance is necessary to prevent problems.
Check Insulation and Seals
It is possible your insulation doesn’t work as effectively as the old insulation does. Insufficient insulation may reduce heat and cold flow to HVAC systems. A seal can also be checked at the window or door edges. If the blower door leaks too much it will cause a problem when your heating or cooling system is increased.
Maintain Cleanliness
Leaves, dust, and grass can penetrate furnace and cooling systems. This leads to many costly issues that eventually cause the breakdown of HVAC systems. Instead, pay more money to avoid a potential future problem. Check the coils and the air conditioners for any damage.
Use Window Coverings
Believe it, it affects the energy and cooling efficiency of your home. When windows are closed during summer, it can reduce temperatures. A window drape or curtain open can help block light in your home. They are easily closed in daylight to help insulate glass and the interior of a home.
Change Your Air Filter
The easiest way to maintain airflow in an HVAC system is to change the Air Filter. The air filter can be blocked by dirt, dog hair or whatever is in a lot of use. It makes the air filter full of dust & debris. This build-up causes your air conditioners to run harder, making them impossible to breathe – thus increasing your energy costs.
It also increases the likelihood of air-conditioned icing over the piping and overheating, resulting in breakdown and problems. If you keep a filter regularly, you decrease the airflow required by a heating and cooling system.
Commonly Asked Questions
It is vital to truly understand the working principle of an HVAC to make it easier to identify if there’s a problem. Here are a few questions asked by people on the internet that could answer some queries for you too:
What is a Condensing Unit?
You can find the condensing unit inside most houses. As evaporators absorb heat, the condensation unit emits heat as it heats your air to cool your house. If your ducted air conditioning system looks less neat, it is time for an HVAC replacement.
What Components Make Up an HVAC System?
The heating system consists of eight components. This includes furnaces, heating exchangers, evaporators, coils, condensing units, refrigerants, pipes, thermostats, pipe vents, and heat pumps.
What is Ductwork?
Your home’s air ducts help the furnace and cooling units distribute heat throughout the home, and they can even help reduce heat loss. Most of the ductwork is installed above an attic and ceiling in Southern California residences.
Conclusion
HVAC systems have changed and become an indispensable part of every home and office today. A properly functioning HVAC system will eliminate undesirable conditions within the neighborhood and provide you with an enjoyable, clean living space. HVAC systems have multiple components working together, and it requires regular maintenance as it’s prone to several things failing. And if no action is taken quickly, the problem will grow larger.
Green Street HVAC provides highly effective and affordable maintenance services. Our methods are simple yet targeted to eliminate the problems you face in your HVACs. We provide HVAC Maintenance, AC installation, air duct cleaning, heat furnace repair, and thermostat repair and installation services. Contact us today and book an appointment!
