HVAC Maintenance All Homeowners Should Do

Your HVAC systems are an important part of your home. They are used to heat and cool your home to keep you and your family comfortable during the cold and warm weather months. If your systems aren't working properly, you could end up either sweating or freezing depending on the weather outside, either of which you don't want. Performing maintenance on your HVAC systems is important and something every single homeowner should know at least a little bit about. Read on for a few maintenance tasks and how to perform them.

Clean Your Systems

Both of your systems should be cleaned before, during and after the season is over.

  1. Air Conditioner. Your air conditioner should be sprayed down with the garden hose. Remove the housing and the lid to spray the inside. Make sure the fins are all clean. When spraying, be sure you don't spray it too hard, as the fins can bend. Be sure to clean the inside of the air conditioner to remove any debris that is lying inside. Clean the exterior around the air conditioner as well.
  2. Furnace. Your furnace should be cleaned to remove dust and dander that builds up inside. Remove the main panel after you turn off the furnace, then vacuum the inside thoroughly. Be sure you don't have anything stored too close to the furnace, as it is a fire hazard. 

Cleaning your systems can help lengthen the lifespan of your furnace and air conditioning systems.

Change Your Air Filter

Change your air filter every other month, unless you have a lot of dander in your home, or a lot of people in your home, then you will want to change it every month. Pull out the old filter, then replace it with a brand new one. A new air filter can be found at your local hardware store or at the local HVAC supply store. Replace it with a filter that is the proper size. The filter size should be printed on the filter.

Clean Your Vents

Your air vents are also dirty with dust and dander that builds up, so these should also be cleaned a few times per year. Remove the vents from the wall, vacuum them thoroughly, or even wash them, then use the vacuum with the extension hose to reach inside the ductwork to clean it out as well. Try to reach inside as far as you can to remove as much of the debris inside as possible. Clean all of the vents around your home.

If you aren't doing any HVAC maintenance at your home, you could end up with premature breakdowns of your system and need a replacement of these appliances long before their lifetime. Call a residential HVAC company for help with your system's maintenance or for your repair needs.


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