Maintaining Your HVAC System
Regular maintenance will:
- Reduce energy usage.
- Help your system last longer.
- Help prevent untimely breakdowns.
- Enable your system to cool better by restoring lost capacity.
- Improve your air quality and comfort conditions.
- Help prevent water leaks that could damage your home.
Regular maintenance saves you money.
Regular maintenance will help your system run more efficiently and prolong its useful life. According to the US Department of Energy, "heating and cooling account for about 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes." Regular maintenance can reduce this cost by as much as 30%.
Some items that need periodic attention are:
- Filters
- A dirty filter will prevent adequate air flow across the
coils. If a filter is really dirty, ice can build up on the coil. Symptoms of
a dirty filter can be reduced cooling, reduced air flow, and water from
melting ice around the base of the air handler. ESA recommends changing your
filter at least every three months.
- Coils
- Dirty coils will reduce the amount of heat exchange that
can take place across the coils. Your heating and cooling system has two coils,
an "evaporator coil" in the air handler inside and a "condensing coil" in the
heat pump or air conditioner outside.
- Symptoms of a dirty coils include icing, inadequate cooling or heating, and high electric bills.
- Refrigerant
- Occasionally, a system will develop a refrigerant leak. Symptoms of a refrigerant leak might include reduced cooling capacity, an outdoor unit that runs all the time, and high electric bills.
Regular maintenance also helps prolong the life of your equipment.
If a fan has to work under an increased strain because of blocked air flow or a compressor has to run longer to meet demand because of low refrigerant, they will wear out sooner. Replacing the multi-stage motors and compressors in today's equipment is an expensive repair. Regular maintenance can help you postpone or even avoid these premature breakdowns.
Environmental Systems Associates can help you maintain your equipment with a Planned Maintenance Agreement.
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Planned Maintenance Agreements