Everything You Need to Know about Heating And Air Conditioning
In a place like Pennsylvania, it’s hard to deny the fact that we need to have our heaters and our air conditioners ready at a moment’s notice. The weather has been fluctuating so much here, and across the entire Eastern seaboard, really. At any moment, we could end up with blistering heat or freezing cold, and these days it feels like there’s not much of an in-between zone.
Naturally, that means that we need to be keeping a close eye on our HVAC systems. After all, the temperature switching can make them undergo some wear-and-tear that they might not otherwise have. As you can see here, https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/pennsylvania/united-states/3208, this is unlikely to change any time soon.
So, if you’d like to learn more about how you can prevent serious issues from cropping up, or what to do if you notice signs of damage, be sure to stick around. That’s what we’ll be covering today, amongst other topics.
How Often Should You Get Your HVAC Maintained?
Thankfully, this is a pretty easy question to answer. For most heating, air conditioning, and ventilation units, it’s a good idea to have it inspected on an annual basis. While this might seem a little excessive at first glance, there’s good reason for that.
Spring and autumn tend to be times where we’re using them a little less, as the temperatures get more tolerable on either end of the spectrum. While this period of disuse isn’t a bad thing (giving these systems a break can be good, really), it’s a prime time for small problems to start cropping up. Often, we don’t even notice them until we turn it back on in the summer or the winter.
Annual inspections from professionals like Everest Heating & Air can catch those things before they get worse, and save you a whole lot of time, energy, and money in the process. It also saves you the trouble of turning your air conditioning on for the first hot day in May and realizing it’s only blowing out hot air. That’s no fun for anyone.
Is it Worth Bringing in a Contractor?
The next question to consider is probably whether or not you should bring in the pros for something like this or not. Honestly, when it comes to pretty much anything relating to your HVAC system (unless it’s just, you know, cleaning off some dust), it’s usually a good idea to bring in an expert.
Despite the whole DIY craze going around on the internet right now, often times, trying to do it on your own just isn’t worth it. You’re way more likely to break something or to hurt yourself instead of fixing any problems, so steer clear of that. Creating more trouble for yourself certainly isn’t worth potentially saving a few bucks.
So, generally speaking, it is worthwhile to bring in a pro. Contractors know their stuff, and those that work with HVAC are typically super specialized and can help you with whatever you end up needing.
Signs You Need to Get Your System Checked Out
It’s all well and good to know that you should bring in a pro when you need one, but the first step of that equation is to recognize when it’s a good idea to get some help. Blogs like this one can help out with that, but there’s so much to cover that it’s hard to stick to just one source.
One of them was already alluded to above, of course, that being your HVAC system blowing out air of the wrong temperature. Your AC shouldn’t be putting out hot air, and your heater shouldn’t be putting out cold air. Either is a pretty big problem, so you’ll want to call in for repairs as soon as possible.
What else is there, though? Well, a common one is some sort of foul or unpleasant odor that you’re not quite sure where it came from. Mustiness in particular is a pretty big problem, since it hints at a water leak somewhere. Obviously, that’s not good either.
Hearing strange noises that aren’t “normal” is another one. Rattling in particular is something that shouldn’t be happening with an HVAC. Rumbling or thwacking or anything of the sort can be reason enough to call a contractor in, though, so don’t hesitate if you think something is off.
Quick cycles are also something to watch out for. If you’re noticing that the heat or the AC is rapidly turning on then turning off, over and over again, that might be a sign that something is wrong. Now, it could also be due to wildly fluctuating temperatures, so be sure to check the weather before you panic.
Each month, it’s not a bad idea to look at your utility bills a little more closely than just “ah, that’s something that needs to be paid off.” If you see a huge spike in the charges, that’s another red flag. Of course, that’s only if it doesn’t really make any sense – for instance, if you haven’t really been using the heat or the AC and there’s still a huge utility bill.
Bear in mind that this list is far from comprehensive. However, hopefully it gives you some idea of what to expect or to watch out for as we approach summer, since no one wants to have to go without their AC in the heat.
