Quick Tips to Avoid Expensive Repairs with Monthly HVAC Maintenance

We all know that cars require regular oil changes to achieve reliable performance and avoid expensive repairs. The same care is needed for your heating, air-conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) system.

By undertaking monthly HVAC maintenance, you can ensure smooth trouble-free performance and minimize the need for costly repairs. Also, by optimizing performance, you can reduce your energy costs.

What You Can Do Yourself

On a monthly basis, there a number of HVAC maintenance tasks you can do yourself to ensure your system’s ongoing operation.

You can, for example, change the HVAC air filter (some systems have indicator lights telling you when the air filter is becoming clogged).

You can also remove debris from the outdoor unit and trim back foliage, as well as ensuring that furniture, curtains and so on are not blocking supply and return registers.

At the same time, refrigerant lines should be inspected for leaks.

In the summer, you should turn off the water to the furnace humidifier, and in the fall, you should turn the water back on and replace the humidifier filter.

And at least once a year you should replace your carbon monoxide detector battery.

What the Pros Should Do

Every year, you should get trained HVAC professionals to do a tune-up and necessary maintenance on your system. Among other things, this would include:

• Checking that your system is operating according to manufacturer specifications, including putting it through an operational cycle.
• Checking CO levels.
• Checking the fan or pump motor and all safety and operational controls.
• Inspecting venting, condensation system, masonry and chimney.
• Looking for leaks in gas furnaces.
• Inspecting and, if necessary, cleaning the blower assembly and combustion blower housing.
• On older HVACs, lubricating the motor and replacing the fan belt, if needed
• Cleaning, as needed, the evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain lines
• Inspecting the burner assembly, ignition system, safety controls, heating elements, flue system and control box.
• Save Money and Get Peace of Mind

If you have your HVAC unit covered by an all-inclusive plan, you can save much more than the costs of getting your air conditioning or heating system repaired.

This professional attention will also help the unit to run more efficiently, extending its life and cutting back on your monthly energy bills. The plan, as well, will ensure that you are given priority service in the event of an emergency

All this adds up to greater peace of mind, knowing that your systems is working optimally, saving money and cutting back on expensive repairs.