How Routine HVAC Maintenance Can Save You Money

One of the highest costs of maintaining your home is climate control. Whether it is warming your house on a cold, winter day or trying to beat the heat with cool air in the summer, keeping a comfy home temperature can become expensive. Not only do you need to pay for the energy costs, you must consider the cost of your HVAC unit. To reduce the overall cost of climate control, consider the benefits of routine HVAC maintenance. Here are some of the ways investing in regular maintenance can reduce your climate control expenses.

  • Efficiency. When your HVAC unit is regularly maintained, it can perform more efficiently. Simple maintenance like changing the air filter and cleaning the coils can improve energy efficiency by 30% of more.
  • Performance. You will get more bang for your buck when your HVAC is well-maintained. It will take less time to heat or cool your home when it is kept at peak performance.
  • Fewer repairs. Preventive maintenance can reduce expensive HVAC emergencies and repairs. It is far less expensive to maintain your unit than constantly pay for repair service.
  • Extend the life of your HVAC system. The long-term savings of HVAC maintenance is the longevity of your unit. If maintenance can extend the life of your unit by one, two or more years, you can save hundreds of dollars off replacement costs.

Regular tune-ups on your HVAC system and other maintenance do cost money, but the return on the investment is worth it. You can realize monthly savings on your energy costs and year-round savings on repairs and replacement expenses. Talk to your local HVAC service company about scheduling your next HVAC service.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 475-9555

Give Your HVAC System a Spring Tune-Up

Spring is the perfect time to schedule HVAC system maintenance. The mild months of spring are usually when you need your HVAC system the least; why not take the time to get it serviced during this mild season? When the hot summer months and cold winter months are in full swing, HVAC service companies are busy handling cooling and heating emergencies. Spring is a great time to get a quick appointment for a tune-up for your A/C and heating system.

Benefits of a Tune-Up

Like all motorized systems, your HVAC has components that need maintenance, repairs and replacements. A tune-up service gives your system the maintenance it needs to be efficient while preventing issues during the higher-use months of summer and winter. Tune-ups usually include:

  • Filter check/change
  • Inspection
  • Lubrication, if needed
  • Check all components, replace as needed

A quick spring tune-up can catch small issues before they become big problems. A small leak can be caught and repaired before it ends up shutting down your A/C on the hottest day of the year. Preventive repairs are much less expensive than an emergency call for a breakdown and much more convenient for you and your family. Tune-ups can also help improve the efficiency of your HVAC system and increase the longevity, saving you money in both energy costs and system replacement.

Don’t wait for your HVAC system to breakdown when you need it the most. Take time this spring to call your local HVAC service company to schedule your tune-up during the mild weather. You will be happy you did when you are staying cool and comfortable all summer long.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
5950 Shiloh Road East
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 475-9555

It’s Time for an HVAC Tune-Up

To prevent HVAC failure and expensive repairs, your system should receive at least an annual tune-up, with many systems requiring bi-annual service. Spring is the perfect time to have your system inspected and regular maintenance performed, right after the colder months of winter and before the hot summer weather starts.  Regular tune-ups on your HVAC offers many benefits, including:

  • Prolonging the life of your HVAC system. A new HVAC system can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Make your system last as long as possible with a small investment into regular tune-ups and maintenance.
  • Prevent inconvenient and expensive breakdowns. According to Murphy’s Law, your air conditioning unit will wait until the hottest week of summer to go on the fritz. Many common repair problems can be prevented with regular maintenance.
  • Reduce energy costs. Tune-ups include filter changes and other maintenance services that help your HVAC system perform more efficiently. This can help lower your energy use, saving you money all year long off your utility bills.
  • Keep your warranty valid. If you have a newer HVAC system, you may be required to have tune-ups to protect your warranty. Don’t miss a scheduled service that could cost you thousands of dollars on repairs or replacement that could have been covered under the manufacturer warranty.

To make it easier to remember when your HVAC needs the annual tune-up, plan to have service every spring, or every spring and fall for bi-annual maintenance requirements. Your local HVAC service provider can perform all the needed maintenance, ensuring your HVAC system is ready for the hot summer weather ahead.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
Buford, GA
(770) 475-9528

Maintain Your Furnace and Prevent Repairs

As with most systems of any importance, keeping your HVAC or furnace system well maintained is paramount to avoiding big and potentially expensive breakdowns in the future. Of course, when we’re talking about providing heat to your home in the middle of winter’s coldest temperatures, there is no convenient time for a failure of your home’s heating system. 

The best way, according to all the experts, to prevent future costly residential furnace repairs is to annually schedule a tune-up of your furnace. Furthermore, not only can your local HVAC professional contractor ensure that your system is operating safely at maximum efficiency, thereby saving you up to 10% in heating costs for the year, but your heating professional will be able to catch and address small problems before they become big problems. Some technicians have reported that the majority of their furnace repair calls have resulted from dirty motors, caused by failure to replace the furnace filter when it is dirty. 

Given the hazardous nature of the furnace system, it is not advisable to perform maintenance on the furnace yourself. Limit your involvement to checking and replacing the furnace filter about once a month, checking the heating registers to make sure they are not blocked by furniture or other objects, close the heating vents in unused rooms, and monitor the thermostat to save energy by keeping it low at night and even lower when no one is home. 

 Keeping your HVAC system well maintained will not only ensure that it is operating at optimal safety and efficiency levels, but it will also help to add to the longevity of your furnace. Above all, if you do develop problems or concerns with your heating system, call your local HVAC professional to schedule a service call as soon as possible.

Is Your Air Conditioner Warm-Weather Ready?

The dog days of summer are right around the corner, and with them will come the sweltering temperatures of summertime. Before the heat rolls in, it’s a good idea to make sure that your central air conditioner is ready and up to the challenge of cooling your home throughout the season. The last thing you want is for your air conditioner to break down at the peak of the summer, so it’s a good idea to schedule your regular residential HVAC service before you switch over to air conditioning for the summer season. 

If you have a whole-house humidifier, it’s important to turn it off before you switch over to A/C. The humidifier will add moisture to the already-humid air in your home, which can make your air conditioner work harder to keep the house comfortable. Air filters need to be replaced to ensure the best possible air quality and peak energy efficiency, and the batteries in your thermostat replaced if necessary. Make sure that your air conditioner cover is removed to prevent overheating, as forgetting to remove it will restrict the airflow into your unit’s condenser. 

While you can complete many of these tasks on your own, it’s important to schedule a routine inspection before the air conditioner season starts to make sure that everything is in proper working order and not likely to cause problems over the course of the summer. A licensed and experienced HVAC professional should inspect your air conditioner thoroughly, and give your system a tune-up before the season begins. Annual tune-ups can increase the efficiency of your air conditioning unit, paying for themselves in terms of money saved over the course of the summer on energy bills.

Signs That Your Air Conditioner is Failing

When your air conditioner is in good repair and working as it should, it’s easy to take for granted. Just like anything else in your home, though, your air conditioner is fallible and subject to problems as it ages. The last thing that you want, however, is for a complete breakdown to take you by surprise when the mercury is rising. Keeping an eye out for certain warning signs can help you catch a breakdown before it happens, reducing the amount of time you’ll spend sweltering as your air conditioner repairs or replacement are underway. 

No air conditioner will cool your entire home instantly, but one that takes significantly longer to affect a noticeable change on the temperature of yoru home is probably struggling. In some cases, the problem is as simple as a low coolant level; others, pipes could be rusty or corroding, or the entire system needs to be replaced. 

If you’ve changed your air filters and the air conditioner is still blowing lukewarm, partially-cooled air or the airflow from your vents is weak, those things can also be signs of trouble. Clogged filters are the most common cause of weak airflow, but a frozen unit, malfunctioning blower fan or other mechanical failure could also be the culprit. 

Rather than attempting to diagnose the problem yourself, you should always contact a licensed and experienced HVAC professional in your area to discuss the issue. Some problems with your air conditioner may actually be quick and relatively inexpensive to repair, but all issues will require the attention of a professional. There’s no safe HVAC repair outside of changing an air filter than you can do yourself, and neglecting problems could be even more costly in the long run.

Common HVAC Problems

HVAC systems having many moving parts and it is usually just a matter of time before they will need some kind of residential HVAC service and repair. While having regular maintenance performed can eliminate many problems that can shut down your unit, there are some common issues that occur. Many common problems are a simple fix that you may be able to do yourself while others will need a skilled technician.

  • Filters. Clogged filters are a frequent problem for HVAC systems, especially ones that do not have regular maintenance performed on them. You can check a filter by removing it and holding it up to the light. If light cannot pass through it, it will need to be replaced before it shuts down the unit.
     
  • Fuses. If a motor begins to overheat, it can often blow or pop a fuse to protect the motor. This is one of the first things to check. However, if the fuse was blown due to overheating, there may be larger issues at hand that need professional service.
     
  • Contactor. Most units have a few different contactors, usually three, that supply the electrical current to start each motor or compressor in the unit. These can become worn over time and need replacement.
     
  • Thermostat. Sometimes a HVAC’s thermostat can get turned off and the unit is not working simply because the thermostat is not on. Always check to make sure it is on before wasting money on a service call.

 Although there are many other parts in an HVAC unit that can need repair, checking these items first may help you narrow down the problem. As with most motorized equipment, preventive maintenance will generally save you many repair bills down the road so make sure you stick to your manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule.

Changing Furnace Filters

Your furnace filter (or air filter if you have a heat pump) does double duty:  it helps improve indoor air quality by reducing the dust, dander and debris in the air, but more importantly it keeps the heat exchanger and coil clean.  A dirty heat exchanger or coil will reduce the efficiency and decrease the life of your heating and air conditioning system.

A dirty air filter will also reduce the efficiency of your system and lead to premature breakdowns.  A clogged furnace filter restricts air flow which makes the system work harder and less efficiently. Changing your furnace filter regularly will help keep your central air conditioner, forced air furnace or heat pump in top operating condition.

How often do you need to to change your furnace filter?  The short answer is to change the filter whenever it gets dirty which can vary greatly depending on how often your system has been running, whether you have pets, and other things. As a general rule, a standard fiberglass furnace filter should be changed every one to two months during the heating and cooling seasons.  A pleated or high efficiency filter will capture more dust and dirt particles and should be changed a little more frequently.

Your HVAC technician will replace the furnace filter during your scheduled spring and fall service visits, but you will need to change the filter between service visits.  Changing the furnace filter is a job that almost every homeowner can handle.  If you have never changed the filter, ask your HVAC technician to show you how to do it during your next service visit.

Furnace filters come in many different sizes so write down the size for your system and buy half a dozen air filters next time you are at your local home improvement center.  That way you will be sure to have one on hand when you need it.