Seasonal HVAC maintenance is a common suggestion for anyone owning a whole-house air conditioner, furnace, heat pump, or similar device. We know that scheduled maintenance may not seem necessary at first glance: HVAC systems can spend years behind the scenes, doing their job without interference. However periodic maintenance, like the kind our experts offer, does play a vital role in the comfort and health of your home. Let’s take a closer look at why maintenance really matters.
Reduced Operating Costs
Part of your energy bill is a reflection of the operating costs of your HVAC system. When it is running, it’s costing you money. Proper maintenance helps ensure that your units stay efficient and perform at the top of their capabilities, which in turn saves you money.
A home AC system is an excellent example. Over time, small leaks and general use can lead to falling levels of refrigerant – the compound uses to trap heat and carry it outside your home. You may not notice lower refrigerant levels, but your AC will have to work harder or longer to cool down your home, which means higher energy bills over time. Maintenance includes testing refrigerant levels and topping off refrigerant, so this isn’t an issue.
Better Air Quality in the Home
Those hard-working HVAC systems can get dirty! Filters can clog, ductwork gets filled with dust, fins and coils get covered with grime…and so on. In addition to the other problems this can cause (remember our operating costs example above), this is very bad for the air quality in your home.
If you want to reduce the allergens, bacteria, and spores in your home’s air, then scheduled maintenance of your HVAC system needs to be a vital part of your plan. Air purifiers and other devices can only do so much if your HVAC system is dirty.
More Accurate, Effective Temperature Control
Maintenance and cleaning also help your system distribute hot or cool air more evenly and effectively throughout the home. If you have a room that gets annoyingly hot or cold depending on the season, maintenance can often spot what’s going wrong and address the problem. Thorough maintenance will also look for any issues with your thermostat and HVAC sensors to ensure that the system is reading temperatures accurately.
A Longer Lifespan Before Replacement
When your system is cleaner and doesn’t suffer from efficiency issues, it avoids as much wear and tear as possible. That directly leads to extending the life of your system, so you don’t have to worry about a replacement or any associated costs for as long as possible. There’s an additional benefit to a long-lived HVAC unit, too: Improvements in technology and materials are always making new units more efficient and powerful as time goes on. The more time passes before a full replacement is required, the more you will be able to benefit from the latest efficiency and features on the market. If you have any questions about when the right time is to replace an HVAC unit, give us a call and we can discuss it.
Catching Developing Problems
How do you know when something is wrong with your heating and cooling system? Sometimes loud noises or smells can be an indicator, or you may notice that your home simply isn’t getting cooled or heated anymore. But it’s often difficult to tell if anything is wrong until the unit completely malfunctions. Scheduled maintenance is a great way to address this, as technicians can watch for any developing problems and quickly nip them in the bud. That means you can avoid expensive shutdowns and the necessary repairs afterwards, which can save money while also improving the longevity of your system.
Maintaining Your Warranty
Units tend to come with warranties that can help cover replacements if anything goes wrong for a period after you first start using them. But there’s a small catch that applies to most HVAC warranties – the system needs to be under scheduled maintenance for them to work properly. If you miss a professional maintenance visit for a year or two, that could void your warranty, which means any sudden repairs will have to be out of pocket.
Improving Home Safety
A well-functioning, responsive HVAC system is an important safeguard for some crises that can hit your home unexpectedly. For example, a vacation mode in the middle of winter can help keep your pipes from freezing, but if your HVAC fails you could come home to massive amounts of damage. Likewise, furnace maintenance can help prevent problems that may lead to carbon monoxide leaks and the serious health problems involved.
Scheduling your HVAC maintenance doesn’t have to be inconvenient. American Comfort Experts offers a maintenance package option, including extra benefits when you sign up for our Comfort Club. Contact us if you don’t want to worry about heating or cooling maintenance again!
