Rookie Homeowner? Basic HVAC Maintenance Tips To Make You A Home Maintenance Pro!

Purchasing a first home is certainly an exciting accomplishment. However, once the initial happiness has faded,  new homeowners can find themselves suddenly aware that they can no longer call the property management company for service when something breaks. Since the heating and air conditioning system is one of the most expensive systems in the home, new homeowners will want to focus on learning how to properly maintain these appliances to avoid expensive repair bills and ensure their family's comfort. If you are new to home ownership and interested in learning to perform necessary routine maintenance on your HVAC system, this list of tips is a great first lesson. 

Keep It Clean

The modern heating and air conditioning system works by moving a tremendous amount of heated or cooled air throughout the home. This movement of air often causes the system to attract dust which then settles on the moving parts and electrical connections found inside HVAC appliances. If allowed to build up, this dust can quickly impair performance and cause additional wear and stress on the entire system. Thankfully, homeowners can prevent this type of damage from occurring simply by making sure the HVAC system, vents, and the area immediately around the system's appliances is cleaned regularly to remove dust and dirt. 

Change Filters Often 

A clogged filter is one of the leading causes of poor HVAC efficiency. Even worse, dirty filters can also cause repair issues to develop or even lead to complete failure. Homeowners who want to be proactive about changing their HVAC filters regularly should consider one or more of the following tips: 

• using their phone or computer calendar system to send them an alert when it is time to change the filter
• subscribing to an HVAC filter service that delivers a new filter at pre-selected times so that a fresh filter is always available 
• purchasing a pair of washable, reusable furnace filters and rotating them so that a clean filter is always ready for the next filter change

Homeowners should start by changing their furnace filters as often as their system's manufacturer suggests. If conditions are making the system work harder or you notice the filters are very dirty when changing them, changing them even more often is a smart plan. 

Inspect It Regularly

Another excellent way to avoid unexpected repair issues or HVAC failures is to schedule an inspection by an HVAC contractor, like Laroc Refrigeration-Metal Division, just before each heating and cooling season begins. Doing this means the system will be checked for possible wear and efficiency issues regularly and adjustments made, if needed. This will allow the homeowner to have any necessary repairs made while they are still small, instead of allowing the system to fail before having it serviced.