Your home HVAC system has a lot of moving parts, which means a lot of opportunity for things to go wrong if the system isn’t kept tuned up. But while some tasks are easy for homeowners to perform, other tasks — both in maintenance and repair — should be left to a trained professional. Here’s a brief guide to some common HVAC maintenance jobs, and who should do them.
DIY Tasks
- Replace your HVAC air filter. This should be taken care of once a month, or more frequently if your filter clogs quickly due to pollen, pet dander, dust, or other issues.
- Check your thermostat, and make sure it’s set appropriately for the season. A programmable thermostat can make this a breeze.
- Keep the area around your outdoor unit clear of plants, clutter, and debris.
- With the power safely off, clean the coils and fan blades of your air conditioner and fan, and lubricate moving parts.
- Caulk and weatherstrip windows to seal your home’s thermal envelope.
- Cover the outdoor A/C unit in preparation for winter.
Tasks for an HVAC Professional
- Scheduled annual maintenance. Remember, some units require scheduled maintenance in order to stay under warranty.
- Checking the refrigerant charge in your A/C, and addressing any refrigerant leaks.
- Checking for leaks in your ductwork, or testing your home’s airtightness with a blower door test.
- Inspecting electrical connections and control sequences, such as the one which ensures that your furnace and A/C cannot run at the same time.
- Fixing damage to your system, and replacing parts which have broken or worn out. Some units require the use of certified components and professional repairs, or the warranty will become void.
- Installing or adding insulation.
- Installing any new equipment.
If you’re not comfortable with performing any HVAC maintenance tasks, you can always call your local HVAC experts for advice or service. If you’d like to learn more about maintaining your home HVAC system, contact Ace Hardware Home Services today!
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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