Want to Prevent Costly HVAC Repairs? These Monthly Maintenance Tips Will Help

Even in a state as warm as Florida, many homes enjoy a complete HVAC system which includes hardware to heat the home as well as the air conditioners we rely on most of the year to deal with the tropical heat levels of the area.

That’s one of the reasons why you should treat your HVAC system like any other piece of quality, hardworking equipment and give it some occasional maintenance.

Your HVAC doesn’t necessarily need fuel like a car to keep going, but some occasional care will ensure you can rely on it all year long.

Keep the Outdoor Fixtures Clear

For most people in Florida, the big condenser of the air conditioner sitting around somewhere just outside the home is a familiar sight.

Those with newer, high-efficiency furnaces may also see that they have additional pipes and vents outside.

These condensers and extra vents are for both taking in air that is processed and circulated throughout your home, as well as ejecting waste, such as water or steam.

In either case, they both need to clear flow, so periodically inspect these fixtures to make sure that leaves and other debris aren’t blocking their flow.

Replace Your Filter

The filter of your HVAC system is designed to catch particles of a certain size, and keep them captured within the filter itself so that they don’t endlessly circulate through your home.

This ensures that both the HVAC system itself is operating efficiently and that you are being protected from possible contaminants that could impact your health.

In a normal home, a filter can be expected to do its job for about three months before requiring a replacement.

Certain lifestyle choices might require changing more frequently, such as a being a smoker indoors, or having a large number of pets.

Be sure to make things easy on yourself and buy and store a number of filters at home so you can simply swap out dirty ones for new ones over the course of a year, rather than have to go to the store every few months to buy a replacement.

Have Your HVAC Inspected & Tuned Up Annually

Your HVAC system works hard throughout the year, especially the air conditioner.

And while it doesn’t require gasoline to run the way a car does, it still doesn’t run perfectly forever without a little bit of help.

Bringing in an expert to inspect and tune up your HVAC is a good way to ensure that the amount you pay on your bills now doesn’t go up due to lowered efficiency.

A tune up might consist of an examination of your HVAC, and replenishing certain important items, such as the coolant in the air conditioner, or cleaning out the ventilation to ensure proper air flow.

These little fixes now save you from expensive repairs later.