Your HVAC system is essential in keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but it also provides a host of other benefits. It circulates the air in your house, cleaning it through its filtering system as it heats or cools it to a comfortable temperature. Depending on the HVAC system you have installed, it may be instrumental in keeping the air quality of your home at a healthy level.

It is important that you keep your system running in such a way that it provides the comfort you desire without incurring extra energy costs due to malfunction or poor maintenance. If you are looking for a company in the Phoenix area that can come out and inspect your system and provide maintenance on an ongoing basis, you should contact a reputable company for an inspection. Many can be found online and offer a wide range of key services, and a great example can be found at https://americanhomewater.com/ac-repair-phoenix/.

What Does Your HVAC System Include?

HVAC is an acronym that refers to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. When most people think of this system, they only consider the heating and air conditioning portion of it, but the ventilation involved in designing and installing a new system for your home is equally, if not more important.

While everyone wants the temperature of their home regulated at a comfortable level, you’d be remiss not to consider the ventilation system that affects the air quality. Living in a home where harmful particles build-up due to poor ventilation and air circulation, among other factors, can be detrimental to your family’s health.

For all of these reasons, routine maintenance of your HVAC is paramount.

How Often Should You Have HVAC Maintenance Performed?

Ideally, you should have your HVAC system maintained twice each year. The best times for this are just before the change in seasons when you’ll be switching from heating to air conditioning. This allows you to determine any problems prior to going into a season that will bring increased use on either aspect of the system. 

Spring and fall, when the temperatures are milder, are the best times to schedule maintenance. You’ll also find more availability of technicians during months when units aren’t being operated as heavily and are more prone to breakdown. If you are doing your own basic maintenance, then you may only want to have a professional come out for an inspection once a year, but make sure you have them check both systems fully.

What Routine Maintenance Should Be Done?

During a professional maintenance visit, your HVAC technician will look at all of the components that make up your system and determine if there is any damage or looming failures. Anything that requires simple adjustments or cleaning may be done and the technician will make any recommendations for repair or replacement.

The HVAC professional will also likely test your thermostat and check for damage to your unit or a dirt buildup in your vents and ducts. If any signs of trouble are found, they will show you the problem, and you can discuss repairs, but these are not part of your routine maintenance. Though small repairs are made at the discretion of your HVAC company, larger repairs or those requiring parts are usually a separate charge. They will not be completed without your approval.

How to Keep Maintenance Costs Down

Most homeowners do not know enough about their HVAC system to do their own maintenance. While there are many DIY guides out there that can help with some problems, most are best left to a professional. If your unit is under warranty, any problems that are no fault of your own should be covered. However, there are two very simple things you can do to keep your unit functioning at a high rate of efficiency. 

One is to simply have routine maintenance done by a professional. This will prevent costs incurred when your unit has a breakdown rather than correcting the issue before it gets worse.

The second is to do one small thing on a routine basis: Replace your filters.

How often you replace your filters depends largely on your system, what kind of filters you are using and how dirty they get between changes. It might take some trial and error to determine what schedule is best for you, but every month is usually recommended during periods of heavy use, while every three months might be sufficient for months of lighter use.

If you allow your filters to get clogged up and dirty, your system will have to work harder to operate. This will affect how well your HVAC system heats and cools, but it will also mean the extra effort is reflected in your energy costs. If you are seeing your utility bills increase, you should check your filters and set up a system for changing them regularly.

Your Family Deserves Safety and Comfort

If you want your HVAC system to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, you will need to take care of it just like it takes care of you. Having it serviced professionally at least once a year and keeping clean filters in place will keep your system happy. It, in turn, will keep you happy.

HVAC maintenance becomes even more important when discussing older systems. As your unit ages, it will suffer wear and tear, even with the best care. Climate control systems will deteriorate and become less effective. 

Consistent care is especially important when dealing with a gas-powered system. Heat exchangers can become damaged and create a hazardous situation such as emitting harmful carbon monoxide gas that you aren’t even aware of until the damage is done. Likewise, it can create a fire hazard that is missed until it is too late unless you receive routine maintenance.

If you have a newer unit, these things may not be as big a concern for you, but anyone with an aging unit should ensure that the system continues to do its job at optimal performance by having routine HVAC maintenance performed by a professional.