Extending the life of your Savannah, Georgia, HVAC unit can be achieved with a bit of care and foresight. Here are some things to put on your maintenance list.
Inspect the System Regularly
A professional should check on the system at least once a year. First and foremost, the HVAC contractor will look for signs of leaks or cracks, which is essential for promoting efficiency in your HVAC system. An HVAC contractor can also quickly spot issues you might not be able to detect yourself, such as obstructions or parts that need cleaning. Spotting the signs and getting the issues repaired right away will have a big impact on your comfort and the lifespan of your HVAC unit. Regular HVAC maintenance visits will also help you improve efficiency and save energy on your heating and cooling bills.
Change the Filters
Filters are one of the parts that have the most impact on HVAC performance. In many cases, filters go unchanged for long periods of time, and this can cause some serious problems. For example, it’s more difficult for the unit to push conditioned air through the home with dirty filters. This takes a toll on the HVAC system as well as the heater or air conditioner that’s connected to the dirty filter. Furnace and AC filters should be changed at least once a year to avoid this problem. Changing the filters also has a positive effect when it comes to dealing with any allergies your family members might have.
Remove Debris
Removing debris from the unit is required from time to time. As the seasons change, there might be leaves, grass, or dirt in your unit. Clearing your HVAC of these unwanted items helps ensure that the system runs as smoothly as possible. Always have an HVAC technician clean the interior of your HVAC unit; it’s not a job to do yourself. Another good tip is to keep the area around the unit clean. This way, you will prevent plants and leaves from getting inside the HVAC unit in the first place. This is a task you can perform yourself.
Clean the AC Coils
A similar tip is to ensure that the AC’s coils are kept clean. They are responsible for moving hot and cold air through the system. When they are dirty, they don’t cool the air as effectively, and the system has to blow additional air through the home to keep it cool. This routine check should be made with the unit switched off, and it’s generally part of an air conditioning service visit. The contractor carefully cleans the unit while making sure electrical parts don’t come in contact with any water.
Add a Smart Thermostat
Adding a smart thermostat to your home can come with impressive savings because it limits the amount of time your heating and cooling system has to run. At the same time, it can be one of the best solutions to apply for your overall comfort. The thermostat adjusts to use less heating and cooling power when you are away from the home. It can be manually or remotely activated, and there are motion-sensing options as well. By using this tool to economize your use of the HVAC system, you will prolong its life.
Don’t Cool Unused Space
Another important tip is to only cool the space you actually use in your home. Certain rooms of the house might not need cooling if you don’t use them often. Not cooling all the space in your home will mean the HVAC unit doesn’t have to work as hard, resulting in less wear and tear.
Reduce Cooling Hours
If you don’t have a smart thermostat, you can still extend the life of your HVAC unit by only cooling the house when you’re at home. Reducing your cooling hours has an impact on both your wallet and your energy expenditure.
You can start extending the life of your HVAC system today by applying some of these tips. We offer preventative maintenance service plans for HVAC, heating, and cooling systems year-round. Give us a call at 912-373-8447.
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