5 Practical Tips On How to Avoid HVAC Repairs

The HVAC system is an integral part of the home as it helps keep your indoor temperatures balanced even when the seasons change. Anyone who has ever had the HVAC go out during the dog days of summer knows just how vital the HVAC system is to the operation of a home and the family inside that home.

This brings up the need to keep this vital resource operating optimally in a bid to avoid unnecessary breakdowns during extremely hot or cold days. How then do you keep the HVAC system in a perfect working condition? By adhering to these five practical repair prevention tips.

1. Schedule Routine Maintenance

Regular system check stands in the first line of defense against Fort Collins HVAC repair that often calls for the costly emergency repairs. Most manufacturers recommend that you have your heating and cooling system checked by a professional and bi-annually. During this time, a qualified system technician gets to monitor its operations and identify possible irregularities. 

They also get to help you clean and change some of the replaceable parts of the system such as the air filters. To be on the safe side have the technician check on your system before winter and summer as you expect it to run continuously for the seasons. If you have a high traffic home (teenagers in and out constantly with friends, family members in and out, the dog in and out – you get the idea) you should consider changing your air filter more frequently. Check it every two to three weeks to see how dirty it is to enable you to gauge what the best replacement time is for your home and family.

2. Keep the areas around AC and furnace clean 

Dust and debris serve as the biggest threat to the effective performance of the HVAC system. The accumulation of dirt in the system can often stop the air flow into your home. Dusty air filters also force the system to work extra harder causing the system to overheat thereby birthing even more severe system problems. 

You can, however, avoid this by keeping the air conditioner and furnace as well as the areas around them free of dust and debris through regular cleaning. The cleaning should also extend to unclogging the ducts and vents as well as the fans and blowers. 

3. Learn how to interact with the thermostat 

Keeping the repair technicians at bay and prolonging the useful life of the HVAC system also starts with learning how to interact with the thermostat. For instance, avoid adjusting the thermostat every time you step into the house. Note that the system has to work extra hard every time to adapt to your temperature changes thus speeding up the effects of wear and tear. 

Consider settling on comfortable temperature levels and maintaining the thermostat at that level for a while. Alternatively, invest in a programmable thermostat that gradually adjusts the temperatures depending on changes in climatic conditions without subjecting the system to abrupt changes.

4. Pay attention to the system sounds 

Familiarize yourself with the sound produced by the heating and air conditioning unit ad it runs and performs its normal operations. This familiarity allows you to identify looming system problems should it start producing odd noises. 

Consider contacting HVAC technicians to investigate such sounds as they may serve as pointers to underlying problems. Addressing them on time goes a long way in helping you avoid unnecessary inconveniences and expensive emergency repairs. 

5. Check the circuit breaker and burner switch before calling for repairs 

Several factors can trigger a heating and cooling system shutdown, and these include an electrical overload that trips the circuit breaker or a burner switch thats turned off. You should, therefore, consider checking the two before calling in an emergency heating system repair expert. The last thing you need is keeping your family in cold or scorching heat as you wait for the repair technician to turn on the circuit breaker. 

Bottom line 

Prolonging the useful of life of the home heating and cooling system doesn’t have to be expensive. Neither is keeping the repair technicians at bay. You only have to engage in such simple and practical tips as cleaning the system and scheduling bi-annual maintenance services. To schedule residential HVAC system maintenance in Northern Colorado, give Swan Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. a call!