HVAC Maintenance: 4 Tips for Homeowners

HVAC Maintenance

It’s that time of year again; winter is turning to spring and the cooling season has begun. Your air conditioner will function steadily for the next eight months or so. It is not unusual for south Texas to experience a week or more of extreme heat; needless to say, you will need your air conditioner to function at its best. Which it can do so with proper HVAC Maintenance.

You may often hear that ‘your air conditioner is like a car and needs maintenance,’ and that is fine, but there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with your system! After all, your system is rather new. Is an annual maintenance inspection necessary in your situation? The answer is yes—here are several good reasons.

Performance vs Dirt

When your air conditioner was installed, it was clean and functioning properly. However, with every heating and cooling cycle, the system draws airborne particles—dust, dander, pollen, etc., and these particles collect on every surface they can find. The air filter collects most of these particles, but enough gets beyond the filter to put a fine coating of dust on surfaces. This fine coat diminishes the performance of your air conditioner components, both large parts and small ones. An inspection includes a thorough cleaning of the entire system, removing the particles that harm your air conditioner, and testing system components.

Savings is a Good Reason

Increasing the efficiency of your air conditioning system saves money on at least three fronts:

• Keeping the air conditioner running at peak efficiency for the long cooling season saves a little money on each utility bill. This is not a brag, but a fact corroborated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.¹
• When you maintain your system regularly, sensors, switches, and controllers that are showing signs of wear and stress can be detected and replaced before a problem arises. Preventing small failures helps prevent large failures; these failures often happen at inopportune times, like during exceptionally hot days.
• Proper maintenance extends the useful years of your air conditioner system and avoids premature replacement. The extension of time allows you to prepare for its eventual replacement on your timing.

Cleaner Inside

Removing the dust buildup from your air conditioner improves indoor air quality throughout the house. You should participate in this cleanup by changing the air filter for your system at least every three months. This ensures that the air your family is breathing is as clean as possible; many of the airborne particles are allergens, affecting the eyes, nose, and upper respiratory system. If someone in your home has asthma or other breathing difficulties, you might need to replace the air filter more frequently.

Every time you remove a dirty air filter, you permanently remove the trapped particles stuck to the surface. These are dust particles that will not land on your furniture, drapes, floors, or bedding, making regular housekeeping chores a little easier.

HVAC Maintenance: Comfort and Peace of Mind

Scheduling maintenance and inspection at the start of the cooling season gives you confidence that the air conditioning system will function efficiently all summer long. A poorly maintained system is more likely to break down under the stress of extremely hot days, while repair technicians are extremely busy. Your family can come home to the cool relief from the summer heat that properly functioning air conditioning provides.

Is it time for your Spring HVAC Maintenance appointment?

Northwind Air Conditioning and Heat can help with HVAC Maintenance and regularly scheduled HVAC maintenance. Contact us and get the answers you need.

¹ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/maintaining-your-air-conditioner#:~:text=An%20air%20conditioner’s%20filters%2C%20coils,while%20energy%20use%20steadily%20increases