The Ultimate Guide to HVAC Maintenance for Homeowners

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Homeownership comes with a lot of responsibility. Besides paying your mortgage, you must ensure your home runs properly. This includes maintenance tasks that many people need help with.

These include removing the debris from your HVAC unit and keeping nearby trees trimmed. This is to avoid clogging the air intake vents.

Clean the Filters

Air filters keep dust, mold spores, bacteria, and other pollutants from circulating throughout your home. They’re essential to maintaining your health and ensuring your HVAC system performs at its best.

Your HVAC system’s filter should be checked regularly, whether disposable or reusable. If your filter has excessive grime, holes, rips, or tears, it’s time to replace it.

When cleaning your filter, soak it in a basin or sink full of warm water and a mild cleaner. Soak for about half an hour and rinse. After that, let the filter air dry thoroughly before putting it back in. Make sure the filter is facing the right direction for proper airflow. Otherwise, it may be blocked by debris and unable to function correctly. Ideally, your filter should feature arrows that indicate the correct positioning.

Change the Batteries

Thermostats can be hardwired into your home electrical system or battery-powered. Regardless of your thermostat type, it would help if you changed the batteries once a year. The process usually takes minutes and only requires a small screwdriver to remove the existing batteries. This simple task can ensure your heating and cooling work as expected throughout the season.

If the batteries die, the thermostat won’t be able to communicate with your HVAC system. This can lead to a misreading of the room temperature and prevent your system from producing heat or cool air as desired.

The type of batteries your system utilizes should be investigated, and you should buy a few more to have on hand. You can also ask your HVAC Delaware specialist during your routine tune-up.

Replace the Filters

Replacing the filters is one of the most important tasks a homeowner can perform for their HVAC system. This simple and inexpensive task can help the system operate at peak efficiency and ensure that the indoor air quality is up to par.

A dirty filter allows dust to enter the system and settle on critical components, resulting in expensive damage. It also forces the system to work harder to push air through, resulting in high energy bills.

To change the filters, locate and open the filter compartment. It is typically housed in a vent or at the entry point to the blower chamber. To open the compartment, you may need to remove a panel or unscrew a small metal slot.

The last thing you want to do is wait until your system breaks down or starts running poorly; a dirty filter is the most likely culprit. Fortunately, filters are inexpensive and easy to regularly replace (or wash).

When changing your filters, ensure your unit’s power is turned off first. This will protect you from accidentally touching moving parts or “live” wires.

Also, remember to check the arrows on your new filter; they should be pointing toward the furnace, where the air moves. If you’re concerned about your home’s air quality, consider upgrading to a higher MERV rating or investing in an advanced filter that’ll trap even more contaminants. This may increase upfront costs, but it’ll pay off in reduced energy bills over time.

Check the Filters

Checking the filters is one of the most manageable HVAC maintenance tasks a homeowner can undertake. A dirty filter prevents the system from running efficiently, which causes it to work harder than necessary to keep the home cool. This can lead to premature wear and tear, higher energy bills, and expensive repair jobs.

To make checking and replacing air filters easier, choose a day each month to do this task. When the time comes to replace the old ones, buy a few replacements on hand and note the date on your calendar or set a reminder on your phone. If the furnace is in a crawlspace or an attic without a staircase or ladder, install return grilles with hinged covers that can easily be opened inside the home. This makes it easy for homeowners and service technicians to access the filter.