Simple Steps You Can Take to Maintain Your HVAC System

As air conditioning units are humming across the country, many systems creak and groan back into running at capacity. With many units neglected year over year, preventative maintenance is often put by the wayside causing costly breakdowns of HVAC systems in homes and businesses alike. If you want to take care of your system, there are steps that you can take to mitigate the annual wear and tear and prevent hard breakdowns of your HVAC system.

When it comes to the right time of year for your HVAC system's maintenance it depends on what your system does. For systems that handle both heating and cooling, the transitional seasons are prime time for cleaning sessions – spring and fall provide moderate temperatures where you won't miss your temperature control as much if your system is down for maintenance. If you have just a heating or cooling system, your annual cleaning should come just before the season in which you need your system activated begins. For heating and cooling that should be early winter and early summer respectively.

While some maintenance tasks may need a technical skill set, there are plenty of things that you can do yourself in order to care for your HVAC system. Tasks that you're likely to be able to tackle in your home's system include:

• Cleaning the coils - Included in heating and cooling systems are a condensing coil and an evaporator coil. As each of these coils work, sediment and dust collect on said coils, reducing their efficiency by a potential 30%. Thankfully, cleaning these coils is relatively easy and can be done with a gentle cloth and a gentle detergent. Compressed air and commercial cleaners are also effective.
• Change the filter - Just after the air intake from your HVAC unit there is a filter that helps remove pollen, dust, and other agitators from the outside air. Predictably, this debris builds up and needs to be removed regularly. Some filters are reusable, but depending on the build up, your filter may need to be fully replaced. This is as easy as sliding out the old filter and putting in the new.
• Evaluate your insulation - Check for drafts and moisture leaks throughout your home. Making your system work harder because of a lack of insulation speeds up the wear and tear that your HVAC unit endures. Assuring your home is properly sealed up, while it doesn't deal with direct maintenance, keeps your system clean and running efficiently.
• Use your senses - If your system begins making new noises, scents, or seems to otherwise slow down, investigate! Some vents and components are treatable using conventional cleaning tactics in order to prevent lasting damage, but some system slow downs are not treatable without technical help.

Ultimately, only an HVAC specialist can maintain your system to the highest degree. Calling in a technician can help catch cracks, machine wear, and other issues that are hard to see without a trained eye. Especially in the case of older units, particularly over a decade old, a professional is necessary to assure a consistently functional HVAC system. If you believe that your HVAC system is due for an annual tune up, get in contact with us at Cee Dee HVAC – our professionals are here to help.