Being a home owner comes with more responsibility than some people realize, and it can get overwhelming. There are certain aspects about your home that you may have overlooked, or just thought wasn’t important, like your HVAC system. Not paying attention to your HVAC can become very troublesome for your home and cause several issues.
Fortunately, there are several tips and ways to maintain your HVAC system in your home that are simple to do and easy to implement into your home maintenance routine. Here are 5 ways in which you can maintain the HVAC system in your home, and be sure it runs smoothly for years to come.
One quick note- HVAC stands for: heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning, therefore you should make sure you are checking each of these components when you are performing routine maintenance. There are certain things you should do monthly, and then other maintenance requirements don’t need to be done but once a year. These tips are suggestions and not mandatory, however it will save you time and money in the future.
When you’re planning on doing your maintenance, it’s easy to plan if you plan it around the seasons. Working on your HVAC system is simple to implement if you keep a routine. Every spring you do x, y, and z, then every fall you do other items on the list. It doesn’t have to be a daunting task that all happens at once! Maintenance of your HVAC system should be like this:
- Replace your air filter every 90 days. This is something many people bypass or forget to do because it seems so simple or not necessary, but it really has importance in the HVAC system.
- Be sure to maintain at least two feet of clearance from around outdoor air-conditioning units and heat pumps.
- At least once a year, pour some bleach down mixed with a little water down the air conditioning condensate drain. Doing this will help to prevent any buildup of mold or algae, which could cause further issues in your home.
- An important key to maintenance is just keeping up on your outdoor and indoor cleaning. For outdoor units, make sure you sweep away debris like leaves and sticks. These kinds of things can clog your unit and cost you more money in the long run. In addition, ensure that you indoor and outdoor units are on a safe and level ground.
- When inspecting your heating system, make sure to take note of things like: gas connectors, gas pressure, burner combustion, and heat exchanger. It’s not joke when you’re talking about the buildup of gas, and ensuring that no toxic gases are getting into your home’s ventilation system.
In combination with keeping up on these maintenance tips, you should also attempt to keep your home operating as efficiently as possible. Simple changes to your home like, upgrading to a high-efficiency pleaded air filter, or upgrading to a tank less water heater can make all the difference. You don’t have to go and shell out thousands of dollars, small improvements here and there to your homes’ HVAC system will suffice and be more than enough to keep you maintenance and cost down.
The WireNut is home to HVAC experts in Colorado Springs and Denver.
