Why Regular HVAC Maintenance is Essential for Comfort
Heaters and air conditioners are crucial pieces of home equipment these days. Not very long ago, few homes were equipped with central heating and air conditioning.
People relied on hit-or-miss heating in winter and simply suffered through the heat and humidity in the summer.
At this point, most of us can’t imagine life without an HVAC system to keep our homes comfortable.
Today’s HVAC systems battle frigid outdoor temperatures to keep our entire homes warm, and they combat soaring heat and overbearing humidity to keep homes cool and dry.
To do their job effectively, though, they need a certain amount of care and attention. That’s where routine maintenance comes into play.
It’ll ensure your HVAC system continues to keep you comfortable for years to come.
Do I Need HVAC Maintenance?
Like many homeowners, you may be wondering if you need HVAC maintenance. The answer here is generally yes.
If it has been more than a year since you had your HVAC system serviced, it’s time to schedule an appointment.
That’s also the case if you’re not sure how long it has been since the last service appointment.
Certain problems can also let you know if it’s time for routine maintenance.
Those include hot or cold spots in your home and rising utility bills.
If your heater or air conditioner is making strange noises while it’s running, consider having a professional inspection and tune-up performed.
At the same time, if you notice that your indoor temperatures just aren’t as comfortable as they once were or there’s excess humidity in your home, it may be a good idea to schedule routine maintenance.
Why Is Routine HVAC Maintenance Important?
Routine HVAC maintenance is important for several reasons. On the most basic level, it’ll keep your home more comfortable no matter what the weather is like outside.
It’ll ensure your HVAC system is able to manage heat, moisture, and cold effectively.
That’s only the beginning, though. Routine maintenance gives you numerous benefits.
More Efficient Heating and Cooling
One of the reasons why HVAC maintenance is essential for comfort is improved efficiency.
Even the most advanced heating and cooling systems lose efficiency over time.
Most lose about 10 percent of their original efficiency each year without proper upkeep.
Dust and debris accumulate in the heating and air conditioning units and ductwork over time, and that can place unnecessary strain on the system.
Running constantly causes parts to wear out as well.
That causes your HVAC system to work less effectively than it should.
It’ll progressively use more energy, which means it’ll cost more to operate.
In spite of the added energy consumption and skyrocketing utility bills, you’ll see less satisfactory results.
Routine maintenance addresses the effects of time and constant use.
It includes cleaning the heating and air conditioning units, lubricating moving parts, replacing worn-out belts, and other measures that are designed to keep your HVAC system running properly.
It’ll ensure the system uses as little energy as possible while also providing the results you expect.
Fewer Breakdowns
Anyone who has suffered through an HVAC breakdown knows just how frustrating it can be.
Those malfunctions always seem to happen at the worst possible times, like on the hottest or coldest days of the year, in the middle of the night, or on weekends or holidays.
Even though it may only take a few hours for an HVAC technician to arrive and save the day, it feels like an eternity when your home is growing increasingly miserable all the while.
Unexpected breakdowns can happen for any number of reasons. For the most part, though, they’re caused by bad connections and damaged or worn-out parts, and they can usually be prevented.
Technicians catch problems like those and resolve them during routine inspections and maintenance.
It’s not possible to prevent all breakdowns, but with routine maintenance, they’ll be fewer and farther between.
That, in turn, will help keep your home more comfortable.
Longevity
Additionally, regular HVAC maintenance can help make your heating and air conditioning system last longer.
Most systems are designed to last about 20 years as long as they’re taken care of.
Without routine maintenance, though, they may only last 10 years or less.
When you overlook routine maintenance, wear and tear will cause the units to burn out before they should.
As a result, you’ll have to replace them more often. Between the time the old one wears out and the new one is installed, your home will feel noticeably more unpleasant.
Maintenance helps keep your HVAC system up and running for longer and makes it easier to plan ahead for replacing it.
Better Indoor Air Quality
Routine maintenance also leads to better indoor air quality. Most of us don’t realize how many contaminants are lurking in the air we breathe.
We take for granted that our homes are clean and safe, but some studies show that airborne contaminants are five times more concentrated indoors than they are outdoors.
Other reports indicate that indoor air can be twice as polluted as outdoor air.
Indoor airborne contaminants come from several sources. Gas heat and appliances are among the most common, but they’re not the only ones.
Allergens like pollen and pet dander are known to reduce indoor air quality as well.
On top of those factors, quite a few chemicals are floating around in the air we breathe.
Those come from cleaning supplies, adhesives, smoke from cooking, and off-gassing from furniture among other sources. Viruses, bacteria, mold, and other microorganisms are part of the problem as well.
All those contaminants can cause a range of issues, not the least of which are sneezing, wheezing, headaches, and eye and skin irritation.
HVAC systems are designed to filter out many of those contaminants, but they can also build up in your heating and air conditioning units and ductwork. They don’t simply stay there, though.
They continuously recirculate through your home and, by extension, your respiratory system.
Routine maintenance helps to keep those contaminants to a minimum so your family can breathe more comfortably and experience fewer of the side effects of polluted indoor air.
Keeping Your Home Comfortable
Routine maintenance is essential for keeping your HVAC system running effectively and efficiently.
It’ll improve the HVAC system’s performance, reduce breakdowns, and ensure your heating and cooling units last as long as possible. It’ll also improve the air quality in your home.
For those reasons, maintenance is crucial for keeping your home comfortable.
