Keeping your Heating Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC system) running at its optimal level, will help keep your utilities bills under control and will prolong the life of your system.
Besides having an HVAC technician come and inspect your unit(s) twice a year, there are a few basic HVAC maintenance tips that should do the trick.
- Maximize air flow:
- Clean or replace your AC filters once a month (do not run the unit with the filter removed)
- Take the time to clean your air vents and registers every month to remove dust, dirt, pet hair and debris and maximize air flow.
- Remove any leaves, grass clippings, or debris from outdoor condenser units every month, especially during the summer months
- keep the vegetation at least 2 feet away from your outdoor units. Air should flow freely around the units.
- Do a system check:
- Keep your furnace and AC units clean of clutter,
- Check for disconnected or crushed ductwork. Disconnected ducts can lead to heated or cooled air being distributed outside or in areas of the house where it is not needed. Crushed ducts restrict airflow and reduce the system efficiency.
- Listen for odd sounds when starting your unit (if the condenser fan makes a clicking or grating noise, something might be obstructing the blades)
- Check around your indoor unit for leaking water
- Check your thermostats:
- Protect your thermostat from drafts so your unit turns on when it’s truly needed.
- Consider replacing your thermostat with a new digital thermostat which will be more accurate and programmable.
If you’d like more tips, here is an article from Trane about additional HVAC maintenance tips or call us at 919-457-2494 to schedule a service call. We’ll come to your home, check your AC unit and get it ready for the upcoming season. We offer service all over Raleigh and the greater Triangle area and are available 24 hr/day, 365 days a year.
