New Homeowners
Home ownership is a big step. There are a few things you should know about your house, including becoming familiar with your HVAC system. For new homeowners and experienced ones alike, there are some must-know HVAC tips and tricks you should be familiar with for preventive maintenance and to avoid mistakes.
Important Tips:
Change the air filters:
One of the simplest, most effective ways to keep your HVAC unit in top shape is to change its air filters as often as the manufacture recommends. The frequency can range between one and six months. Some thermostats will remind you about filter changes.
The area around outdoor units:
Maintaining the landscape does more than make your yard look beautiful, it also helps your HVAC system perform well and have proper airflow. Shrubs, trees, plants and other foliage should be about three feet away from the unit. It is also a good idea to keep garden tools, supplies, furniture and toys away from it. As leaves and pine needles fall on and around the unit, clear them away. The same goes for snow.
Take care with ice:
It is okay if a little bit of ice forms on an HVAC unit during the winter. If larger sheets or blocks of ice form during the winter, or you notice ice formations when the weather is warmer, call a professional right away. Do not pour warm water on the ice to melt it.
Don’t close vents:
In an attempt to save money on heating and cooling costs, some homeowners close the vents in rooms they don’t use often. This action will actually increase your energy costs because your system will have to work harder to maintain the comfort levels in your home. For this reason, professionals recommend that you never block vent registers with furniture, books, blankets or other objects. If you only want to heat or cool certain areas of your home, talk to an HVAC expert about creating different zones.
Annual HVAC maintenance:
Hire an HVAC service to perform maintenance services on your heating and cooling units once a year. The tune-up will keep your system in optimal condition and alert you to small problems that could become major repairs. A good time of year to schedule maintenance is during the spring or fall, before the weather gets too hot or too cold.
Mind the ductwork:
When your homes constantly seems dusty, has uneven temperatures, smells musty, feels too humid or has unusually high energy bills, hire an expert to clean and inspect the ductwork. Leaks in ductwork negatively affect an HVAC system’s performance and send conditioned air into spaces that you don’t use, like between the walls.
Plant trees for HVAC savings:
Your outdoor units require a lot of TLC and planting trees around them. According to the Department of Energy, planting trees to shade your HVAC in the summer reduces indoor temperatures and the amount of heat absorbed through walls and roofs. See? Planting trees does not only make your dwelling beautiful! It also reduces your air conditioning costs.
