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Four Key Components to Maintaining HVAC Systems

Oct 19, 2020

Typically speaking, an HVAC system can be expected to last around 15 years. On the surface, this may seem like a perfectly acceptable length of time. But in terms of cost, you may be spending more than you need to. Obviously, the overall cost of your HVAC system or unit does depend in part on the kind of air conditioning solutions that you opt for. There are a number of different reasons why people may choose one type of air conditioning system over another, but if you're sinking a significant amount of money into a specific type of system, you'll want it to last for those full 15 years. Though some systems will be promised to be the best of the best, what really affects the longevity of an air conditioning system is the amount of maintenance that you put into it. It's estimated that air conditioners that go through regular HVAC maintenance, including repairs, last 40% longer than those that don't. However, many homeowners find that they don't know where to begin with HVAC maintenance, especially if they're moving into a house that already has a preexisting unit. Maintenance is a regular part of typical HVAC services, but what does that involve? Let's look into the maintenance that you should have done on your HVAC unit below.

1. Replace Filters

You don't necessarily have to call upon professional providers of HVAC services in order to have your HVAC filters inspected. You can check your filters on your own, just to inspect them and ensure that they are in good shape. Check on them every few months, making sure that they're in order to see if they need to be changed any more often than is usual. At any rate, a replacement should be done every six months at first after you move into a new home or have a new HVAC unit installed. As the unit ages, you may need to up the frequency of the replacements. Making sure that your filters aren't clogged and that your HVAC unit is performing at the best possible capacity also ensures that your unit isn't overworking and that your energy bills are as low as they can be.

2. Have Fans, Belts, And Bearings Inspected

After ensuring that your HVAC filters are replaced every six months, you next need to check on your HVAC system's fans, belts, and bearings. Making sure that these are in the best possible working order is a part of long-term maintenance. Fortunately, providers of HVAC services can inspect this part of your unit's operational system for you. A small fan can take over an hour to clean, while larger fans obviously will take even longer. Other major problems can include fan motors running in the wrong direction, as well as the self-lubricating bearings on fans failing and belts becoming misaligned. You just to have these parts of the unit inspected twice annually, and have parts repaired and replaced as needed.

3. Inspect The Intake Areas

Areas around intake are prone to issues, and it's quite possible that your unit might suffer from serious problems after these issues are missed. Mold can develop after water pools around air-handlers, and this may ultimately have serious consequences. This is because the spores can be sucked into your ventilation system, and therefore circulated around your building. Due to the severity of this problem, providers of HVAC services advise having the intake areas around your HVAC unit inspected twice a year.

4. Fix Leaks

It should go without saying that leaks need to be fixed within your HVAC system, and unfortunately they're quite prone to developing. But they aren't the leaks that you might expect; rather than leaking water, your HVAC system will leak air. These will exist in your system's cabinet and supply duct. Most often, this will occur on the supply-air side, where high-pressure air is often pushed out of tiny cracks, thus widening them. This could result in you losing quite a bit of money over time, and therefore you need to take it seriously.

Clearly, there are a lot of issues to tend to with HVAC systems. But if you're vigilant and responsible, your system should last for years to come!

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