HVAC Maintenance: The System You Ignore Until It Makes a Sound That Sounds Like a Sound Nothing Should Make
A practical guide to keeping your heating and cooling system running efficiently before it becomes a very expensive emotional event.
HVAC systems have two seasons: heating season and cooling season. Each season ends with a breakdown that could have been prevented with two hours of maintenance in the shoulder season. The shoulder season is now. Please do not wait until January to think about this.
Filters are the single most important maintenance item. Change them every 1-3 months depending on usage and environment. A dirty filter makes your system work harder, costs more to run, and produces air quality that is technically breathable in the same way that cave water is technically hydration.
Thermostat batteries should be checked twice a year. This sounds obvious. This still catches people every winter when the thermostat starts displaying nothing and the house is already cold.
Outdoor units need clearing. Leaves, debris, and sometimes small animals accumulate around outdoor units. Give the unit clear space. Trim vegetation. Occasionally check for animal nests because animals do not pay rent and they will move in.
Professional maintenance makes sense once a year. A technician catches things that homeowners miss, lubricates moving parts, checks refrigerant levels, and generally prevents the emergency service call that costs three times as much as the maintenance visit would have.
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