Procrastinating your annual HVAC system maintenance might not seem like a big deal at the moment but it is more important than you think. Learn how important the annual checkup of your HVAC maintenance is so that you never put it off again.
Why is the maintenance of HVAC important?
Preventive maintenance keeps an HVAC system up and running throughout the season with no surprise breakdowns. They also operate at the highest efficiency. If you neglect your HVAC system, its operational life decreases. Mechanical equipments need regular maintenance and by doing so, the risk of them operating below their full efficiency or breaking down all of a sudden is significantly reduced.
The advantages of annual HVAC maintenance
The first thought that comes to mind when opting for maintenance is the cost factor. While some of the benefits of an annual maintenance are immediate, others prevent any further problems from developing.
Some of the benefits are-
- Low energy bills
Sometimes it happens that the cooling equipment is working fine but its unable to perform at the same level of efficiency as it once did. It slowly loses its ability to keep the home as cool as it used to. Just how a car delivers better gas mileage after a tune-up, the cooling system also delivers optimum performance after professional maintenance.
- Lesser repairs
Scheduling a tune-up is the best thing to do before any small issue becomes majorly disastrous. For instance, strange sounds and odd odors from the HVAC could turn into something major if not looked into at the onset.
- Less chance of a sudden breakdown
Nobody wants a catastrophic HVAC breakdown on a sweltering summer day. Your home can get unbearable if the equipment breaks down just when you need it the most. When there is no annual inspection, the odds of this happening increase significantly.
- Longer lifespan
Just one malfunctioning part of the equipment can cause the entire system to break down. The cooling system is at its best when serviced and cleaned regularly. Additionally, its longevity also increases.
- Safety
Maintaining the cooling system does more than just reducing the energy bills and saving the cost of frequent repairs. It also keeps the system safe. Malfunctioning systems can become a danger to you and your family. They can develop short circuits and cause serious fire hazards. Therefore the safety of your family is the most important reason to opt for an annual checkup.
Maintenance tasks you can do yourself
Between the schedule visits of a professional HVAC technician, there are a few tasks that you can perform yourself to keep the system running smoothly-
- Change the HVAC air filters at specific intervals recommended by the manufacturer. There are many systems that have indicator lights signaling a constricted air flow.
- Clean the condenser. If the condenser is at ground level, the chance of debris increases.
- Inspect the fins and if there are any damaged areas, you need to carefully straighten them with a fin tool.
Maintenance that you should leave to a professional
A thorough tune-up requires expert skills, tools and knowledge. This can be delivered only by experienced HVAC technicians. Here are a few things that you can expect from a professional when you schedule your annual system maintenance-
- Thermostat checkup
- Tightening of electrical connections
- Inspection of the evaporator and condenser coils
- Inspection of the fuel connections
- Lubrication of the moving parts
- Inspection of the condensate drain
- Checking the refrigerant charge
We hope you now understand the importance of an annual cooling system maintenance. Clearly it is something everyone should take seriously. Whether the end goal is to save money, improve the efficiency, prevent sudden breakdowns or protect the family, an annual maintenance helps achieve all these goals.
