The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of your home can impact the value of your property and the comfort of the entire household.
Functional heaters and AC units can ensure better value for your home and optimal comfort for your family. To ensure that your home’s HVAC system will provide these benefits in the long-term, take the time to inspect it properly. Proper maintenance is the key to increase the lifespan of your home’s HVAC system.
Knowing the condition of your home’s HVAC system is vital to determine when you should call professionals such as dmselectservices.com. Early problem detection can mean prompt repairs and lesser costs.
3 Tips To Inspect Your Heater
If you’re living in colder areas, having a heater at home can be a godsend. This fixture produces heat to make the air in your home feel warmer. This feature allows your family to stay warm regardless of how cold the weather is outside.
Here are some tips on how you can properly inspect your home’s heater:
Carefully Check And Replace Your Furnace Filter
Having a furnace that has a clogged filter is useless. It will require your heater to work twice as much, resulting in higher energy bills and lesser quality of warm air.
When inspecting your heater at home, always start with the furnace. This is a simple examination that any homeowner can do. Assess if your furnace is clogged. If it isn’t, you and your family can continually enjoy the warm temperature indoors. But if you find out that your furnace is clogged, call professionals to have the problem fixed.
Inspect The Heat Exchanger For Any Signs Of Damage
Your heater is composed of different parts. For this fixture to work properly, all of these parts should be in perfect working condition. Minor damage can eventually worsen, causing your heater to malfunction. Steer away from this direction by taking the time to check the heat exchanger.
Locate where your heat exchanger is and check for any cracks, damages, and rust. A crack, no matter how small, can cause the burner of your HVAC system to blow out. Once this happens, your heater won’t be able to produce heat. A larger crack in the heat exchanger can cause a fire in your home. If you think this part of your HVAC system is cracked or damaged in any way, have it replaced as soon as possible.
Check The Venting System For Any Blockages, Holes, And Leaks
As mentioned, your heater won’t function properly unless all of its parts are in tip-top shape. Aside from checking the heat exchanger of your home’s HVAC system, check your venting system next. This part of the heater should not have any crushed sections or disconnections. Minor leaks can be repaired by a duct mastic sealant, but if you’re not confident that you can do this on your own, call an HVAC contractor from your area.
Any debris on your vent can adversely affect the heating efficiency of your home’s HVAC system. You can prevent this from happening by regularly working with an HVAC contractor, preferably every fall to ensure that your heating system can work efficiently.
3 Tips To Inspect Your AC Unit
Regardless of where you live right now, you will experience different weather conditions throughout the year. While some months will be cold, others will be too humid or warm. For the latter, an AC unit can come in handy. This fixture ensures that the entire household can enjoy cold temperature indoors even if the sun is scorching outside.
If you want to make the most out of your AC unit, take the time to inspect it. Here’s how you can do it:
Clear The Exterior Condenser Unit And All Its Components
Just like your heater, your AC unit is also made up of several parts. Aside from checking the unit installed inside your home, you should also exert the same amount of effort in checking the exterior condenser unit. As part of your home’s AC unit, the exterior condenser unit is responsible for releasing heat from the inside of your home to the outdoors. This unit is made up of coils and pipes.
Check the exterior condenser unit and make sure that it’s free from any spider webs, leaves, and other debris. Plants and shrubs near the exterior condenser unit should also be trimmed regularly to encourage proper airflow. If you have been using the same AC unit for years, it’s also important that you open its exterior condenser unit and straighten any bent coils or pipes, and add lubricating oil to the motor.
Clean The Air Filter
The air filter of your home’s AC unit works by removing any dust, pollen, and other particles that can circulate indoors. Depending on the size and power of your AC unit, air filters are usually about 20 inches by 16 inches, with a thickness of 1 inch. The air filter easily slides into the main ductwork of the AC unit. Your air filter should be cleaned regularly even if your AC unit is working properly.
Continually using a dirty air filter can degrade the air quality of your home and can strain the motor of your AC unit to function properly. The latter can result in reduced energy efficiency and skyrocketing energy bills. If you regularly use your AC unit, the air filter should be replaced at least once a month.
Carefully Inspect The Condensate Drain Line
The condensate drain line collects condensed water from your HVAC system and drains it away from the unit. Some AC units have one or two condensate drain lines—one is built in the unit, and the second line works as a backup whenever the first line gets blocked.
For your condensate drain lines to work properly, inspect all of its parts for any debris such as algae. When these lines are blocked, water can overflow from your AC unit and can result in water damage to your home. Make sure that all of the hoses around the condensate drain lines are fit and secured tightly.
Work With Pros
If you think that something is wrong with your heater and AC units, no matter how small the problem is, immediately call for professional help. Neglecting the problem at hand or choosing to repair everything on your own can only lead to more harm than good. Scout for professionals who specialize in the checkup, diagnosis, and repair of your home’s HVAC system. Let the pros handle the job so you can continue using your home’s HVAC system!
Leave a Reply