When it comes to your home’s heating and cooling system, there’s no argument that routine and regular maintenance is essential if you want the system to run efficiently and effectively both now and in the foreseeable future. However, that leaves the question — what HVAC maintenance should you do yourself, and what should be left to a trusted professional?
Following are some general guidelines for DIY vs. professional HVAC maintenance tasks.
DIY Tasks
Change the HVAC air filter. This is a simple job with most forced-air cooling and heating systems. Checking monthly is a good rule of thumb, unless other factors (lots of dust, heavy use) dictate a shorter period between checks.
Spray the outside unit of your A/C or heat pump. Use the garden hose (with attachment) to spray down the outside condenser/compressor every month or two, to remove dirt and grime that settles on the unit as time passes.
Keep the area around the outside unit clear of yard debris, such as grass clippings, tree limbs, toys, etc. This allows for unimpeded airflow.
Professional HVAC Maintenance Tasks
A trained technician will run through a series of preventative maintenance tasks on your HVAC system. Many of the steps for heating and cooling systems are different, though some are the same.
For furnaces, the technician will check and maintain the blower motor, the ignition system and the burners, as well as the gas supply line and exhaust system. Maintenance may involve cleaning, lubricating and/or adjusting, depending on the particular component. The technician’s priority is safety, though he’ll also perform maintenance to optimize efficiency and performance.
For air conditioners and heat pumps, the technician will perform maintenance on the main blower or air handler motor, refrigerant lines and levels, the inside and outside coils (they must be kept clean), the condensate pan and drain, the outside compressor and capacitor, and the outside fan motor.
With all systems, the technician should check the thermostat and stop-and-start functions for proper operation.
To schedule professional maintenance on your Lorain area HVAC system, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC maintenance tasks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area