The sole responsibility of an HVAC unit is to keep your home comfortable when the weather outside is too cold or hot. The system heats your home when its freezing outside and exchanges the hot and stale air with cool air from the outside. An HVAC unit is an expensive investment and should be handled with a lot of care. As the system works hard to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, it is susceptible to wear and tear, leading to different mechanical problems in the long run.
When not handled properly, HVAC systems can force you to spend a lot of money on maintenance and repairs or replacements that you could have channeled to other crucial matters. Knowing how to reduce repairs will not only help you save money, but it can also enhance the comfort of your living space and extend your HVAC’s life. Here are some of the best practices that can help you minimize wear and tear on your HVAC system.
1. Conducting Regular Checks
One of the practices to minimizing wear and tear on your HVAC is by performing regular inspections of the unit. Regular inspections will always offer you a hint of what’s happening with your air conditioning system. Any problems with your AC, such as the accumulation of debris or a screeching sound, cannot go unnoticed. Unusual sounds indicate that all the moving parts need professional cleaning and lubrication. Conducting regular inspections of your HVAC will help you know whether the unit is working effectively.
2. Replacing Air Filters
Air filters are essential components because they trap and prevent debris, dirt, dust, and other pollutants from getting into your HVAC unit and circulating in your living space. However, if the air filters are clogged or dirty, they can hinder airflow. As a result, your AC will experience strain as it attempts to push air through the filters, leading to increased energy consumption. It can also cause increased wear and tear, making your system more susceptible to mechanical failure.
To minimize the risk of an HVAC failure, you need to replace your air filters regularly. Some air conditioning units need to have their air filters changed every 30 days while others can operate smoothly for six months without replacements. With new or clean air filters, your HVAC system works more efficiently and your indoor air quality will be cleaner, protecting your unit from wear and tear.
3. Lubricating Moving Parts
All the moving parts in an air conditioning unit are usually found in the furnaces, compressors, and circulation units. The lubricating oil in these parts can pick up debris and dust from the circulating air. Over time, the debris and dust might accumulate when these parts stop moving due to friction. That will result in wear and tear since these parts will be moving slowly or stop moving completely. To keep the rotating parts of your air conditioning unit moving and in good condition, consider applying lubricants regularly.
4. Cleaning the Vents
If your home has a ducted HVAC unit, it is important to clean the vents regularly. With time grime, dirt, and dust can build up within the air vents and hinder airflow, causing your AC unit to work harder to circulate air throughout your living space. This factor can also cause mechanical problems that can lead to expensive repairs in the long run. You should also remove any objects of furniture placed near the air vents to avoid obstructing airflow.
Make sure you check the air coming from your vents regularly to ensure it is not weak. Poor airflow will not only make your living space uncomfortable, but it might also indicate that a component in your air conditioning unit needs urgent repair. If you are getting poor airflow from your air vents, you need to call an HVAC expert to identify the problem and fix your unit.
5. Installing a New Thermostat
Thermostats are devices that allow you to easily program your air conditioning unit to circulate air or heat your home at a certain temperature. You can set the device to cool or heat your home at specific times during the day, especially when you are not at home. You need to normalize your thermostat’s setting to ensure the air conditioning unit is working at your preferred temperatures. If your thermostat is not working properly, you can contact an HVAC technician to reset it.
6. Cleaning the Outside Condensing Unit
It is easy to forget about your outdoor condenser because it is placed outside your house. Nevertheless, it is usually the costliest component of an air conditioning unit. Therefore, you need to ensure that it is always in good condition. Make sure that your condensing unit is placed on a flat surface and remove any objects or debris within 3 feet of the outdoor condenser. Also, it would help if you had the outdoor condenser’s interior cleaned regularly because debris and leaves can get inside your unit and damage its components.
7. Installing Energy-Efficient Windows
Having energy-efficient windows in your home can provide numerous benefits. It minimizes condensation buildup, reduces UV ray penetration, lowers cooling and heating costs, and more. All these benefits reduce your HVAC unit’s wear and tear by making it easy to cool and heat your home.
8. Using Ceiling Fans
Using household fans throughout the year can reduce the workload and wear and tear on your air conditioning unit. During winter months, ensure that your fans are rotating on the reverse mode. It will bring the heat generated by the AC system up to your ceiling and then distribute it throughout the room. Using fans on reverse mode prevents the fans from producing an uncomfortable breeze. It is also beneficial when heating big rooms that have high ceilings.
9. Scheduling Regular HVAC Maintenance
Signing up for a yearly AC maintenance plan will ensure that your unit will be free of any problems. Generally, an annual HVAC maintenance plan includes replacing air filters, cleaning all the system components, lubricating moving parts, and clearing the drain pan and condensate line. These maintenance tasks enable your air conditioning unit to operate efficiently and effectively while experiencing minimal mechanical issues.
The other benefit of scheduling your HVAC maintenance is that it includes a full inspection of the unit. HVAC technicians will check each part of your air conditioner to ensure they are in good condition. In the event of any problems, these experts will fix them immediately to prevent them from becoming major problems that need costly repairs in the long run.
Call Us for Help
With these best practices, your air conditioning unit should be working well, and if it fails for one reason or another, always consult a technician from Liberty Comfort Systems for AC repairs and maintenance. Our NATE-certified experts believe that having a good AC maintenance plan goes a long way in reducing wear and tear and any mechanical issue. With our many years of expertise in the HVAC industry, you can rest assured that your air conditioning unit is handled professionally.
Our company also specializes in other services, including new heating and cooling installations, replacement of existing AC units, cooling and heating system repairs, and indoor air quality services.
Call now to schedule your HVAC maintenance, servicing, or repair in Anoka
