HVAC units are complicated systems that accomplish a basic duty of regulating the temperature of your house. They have several electrical as well as mechanical components that might wear out, lose efficiency, or fail if not properly serviced.
When you compare HVAC care to automotive maintenance, you are going to require oil changes, brake servicing, new belts, and various other services during the life of your vehicle. Although the services for your cooling system, furnace, or heat pump are distinct, you must maintain them all. Otherwise, the heating and cooling system might malfunction, costing you a lot of money.
How Frequently Should You Repair Your HVAC System?
HVAC units should be serviced at least once a year by homeowners. If you’ve got both a heater and a cooling device, you can contact West Chester Ohio AC Repair when your unit needs servicing for both at various periods of the year.
The Most Appropriate Time to Arrange HVAC Maintenance
The optimal time to arrange HVAC servicing depends on the kind of system(s) within your residence.
Cooling systems
Almost all HVAC technicians recommend spring service for central air conditioning units. Spring is advised since the outside temperatures are still moderate yet warm enough to operate the air conditioner and test it. Ideally, you should not wait until the midst of summer and risk being without air conditioning during the hottest times of the year.
Furnaces
Like air conditioners, they should not put off furnace repair until you really need it. In this situation, you should service your furnace prior to winter, in the fall. Outdoor conditions will be comfortable but not yet dangerously frigid during the fall. However, there will be some weeks and months when you will require your heating system and have the opportunity to check its efficiency.
Heat Exchangers
Heat pumps, like air conditioners, use refrigerant liquid to transfer heat from one spot to another. AC units, on the other hand, are limited to removing heat from your house. Heat pumps may accomplish the same thing, but they may additionally work in reverse to take heat from the outside and heat your home.
As a result, they often operate all year, cooling in the heat of the summer in the winter. We suggest servicing them every six months because they are subject to wear and strain all year. Heat pump repair is best done in the spring and autumn, similar to AC units and furnaces.
Why You Should not Ignore HVAC Maintenance
You should not neglect periodic HVAC system maintenance. Sure, you will save a little money now, however later on, you could be confronted with a huge repair bill that you could avoid entirely with maintenance.
If you never undertake HVAC system maintenance, it might lead to failure of the equipment, which means you don’t have cooling or heating until you can repair it. Repairs obviously require money, and believe us when we say that repairs nearly always run more than annual maintenance, often thousands more.
What Exactly Is HVAC Maintenance?
HVAC maintenance consists of several procedures that a competent HVAC technician may do in a matter of hours. They will go over a checklist of all maintenance activities, but in general, they will clean filters, wires, and other elements and verify every key component is operating properly. HVAC maintenance varies based on the machinery being repaired.
Heat Pumps & Air Conditioners
Except for a few additional inspections for a heat pump, most AC and heating unit maintenance activities are the same. AC unit and heating system maintenance is most typical in the months of April and May, while heat pumps receive another service call in either September or October.
The HVAC professional will test a number of items during a service visit:
- Temperature difference between both return and supply vents must be maintained.
- Check the refrigerant levels (and look for leaks if they are low).
- Check the blower and compressor operation.
- Check for proper ventilation.
- Clean the evaporator and condenser coils.
- Belts should be checked
- Oil-moving components
- Thermal expansion valve (https://www.theclimatictester.com/post/understanding-thermal-expansion-valves-how-they-work-and-their-role-in-climatic-test-chambers) testing
- Check that the reversing valve (only for heat pumps) works properly.
While the HVAC professional inspects the cooling system or heat pumps, they will make a note of anything that needs to be repaired immediately or soon.
Furnaces
The most popular form of home furnace is a combustion furnace. The heating components themselves are the primary focus of furnace maintenance. When doing furnace servicing, an HVAC expert will pay close attention to the following areas:
- Check for proper ventilation.
- Check the supply temperature.
- Maintain precise thermostat control.
- Inspect the flame sensor (and clean it if necessary).
- Examine the burner and pilot light.
- Clean the filter and double-check its alignment.
- Examine the flue.
- Pressure regulators and solenoids must be tested.
- Check and grease the blower motor.
- Examine the humidifier (if applicable).
- The HVAC specialist who maintains the heating system will spend some time with you asking you some performance questions about the unit.