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Helpful Tips to Maintain Your HVAC System
Prompt Response Time | Competitive Pricing | Since 1967
Prompt Response TimeCompetitive PricingSince 1967
Do Your Own HVAC Repairs With Some Useful Tips
Most HVAC systems can be maintained or tweaked to prevent or solve an ensuing problem. Read some useful tips below on how to solve your HVAC problem on your own.
If the problem is too severe or you're unable to repair it on your own, contact
the professionals at D & R Plumbing and Air Conditioning Inc immediately. We'll be glad to help you!
Brief List of Things That Damage Your Equipment
- Dirty or missing air filters can greatly damage your appliances
- Furnaces located in a laundry room can get clogged with lint
- Softner salt can cause a lot of rusting. Try to keep salt away from your equipment
- A furnace located in a wet or damp basement will rust very quickly
- Eliminate incoming moisture by using a dehumidifier, if necessary
- A furnace in a garage is exposed to high humidity in the summer, causing rusting
- Lightning can cause severe damage to your appliances
- During a lightning storm, it is mandatory that you shut your system off
- Most power companies offer surge protectors that can be installed at the electric meter to help prevent lightning damage
- Periodic maintenance will greatly reduce most of these issues
Things to Know About Your Air Conditioning System
- Clogged air filters block the flow of air through the indoor system, which decreases or even stops the flow of cooled air. Low air flow will increase electric usage and decrease performance and can cause very expensive damage to your equipment. Most systems use the same filter for cooling as they do for heating. Best advice is to check the filter once a month. If it looks dirty, it should be replaced. It should be washed if washable
- There's no such thing as a 90-day air filter. No matter what it says on the package, it does not necessarily apply to you or your home. You may need to change yours every 30 days
- A humidifier should be turned off in the summer
- Ice or frost on any part of your cooling system indicates a problem. This excludes the frost that forms on your heat pump in the winter. Freezing can occur from low indoor air flow caused by dirty filters, blocked or closed registers. There can also be a problem with the indoor blower. Don't allow these systems to continue to run if they're icing up
- The air flow into and out of the outdoor unit must not be blocked. This is where your air conditioner gets rid of the heat it takes out of your house. Any plants or weeds around the unit should be trimmed back to allow adequate air flow. When trimming be careful not to cut any wires or tubes
- The coil in the outdoor unit will accumulate dirt on it and must be cleaned periodically (usually once a year), this normally requires nothing more than a garden hose. Be careful not to get any electrical components wet. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, call for a professional. If there's a dryer vent located near the unit, it'll require being cleaned more often due to lint accumulation
- Grass clippings that get inside your outdoor unit are very hard to clean out. When mowing near your unit, make sure to blow the grass away from it
- Have your system serviced once a year. This will help extended the life of the system, reduce energy use and prevent small problems from turning into expensive ones
- If your equipment is not running it could be that it's not getting any power. There should be a different one for the indoor unit as well as the outdoor unit, check both of them. Both units will also have a switch located on or near them so check to see if one of them has been shut off accidentally. Check any fuses or breakers for the equipment.
- The registers inside your house must not be closed or blocked. This would reduce or even stop the flow of cooled air from your system. The return air grills must also be un-restricted
- Check your thermostat and make sure the switch is set to "cool." Make sure it's set low enough for the system to come on, which means the set point has to be lower than the room temperature
Things to Know About Your Heating System
- Clogged air filters block the flow of air through the indoor system, which decreases or even stops the flow of heated air. Low air flow will increase fuel usage and decrease performance. This can cause very expensive damage to your equipment
- The best advice is to check the filter once a month. If it looks dirty it should be replaced.
- Hot water heating systems usually don't require air filters since they don't blow any air. There's no such thing as a 90-day air filter. You may need to change yours every month
- Fuel Gas and oil furnaces need to have enough fuel. If you use natural gas you may have forgotten to pay your bill, which usually results in having your gas shut off. If you use LP or Oil, check to see if your tank is empty or the tank valve has been shut off
- If your furnace has a pilot light, it may have gone out. If so try to re-light it, there will normally be lighting instructions on the furnace. (Not all furnaces have pilot lights, and some pilot lights are self-lighting). Do not attempt to manually light the main burner(s), you could get burnt
- If your equipment is not running, it could be because it's not getting any power. Check any breakers or fuses. Most units will also have a power switch located on or near them, check to see if it has been shut off accidentally
- Have your system serviced once a year. This will help extended the life of the system, reduce energy use and prevent small problems from turning into very expensive ones
- The registers inside your house must not be closed or blocked; this would reduce or even stop the flow of heated air from your system. The return air grills must also be un-restricted.
- Check your thermostat, make sure the switch is set to "heat." Make sure it is set high enough for the system to come on, which means the set point, has to be higher than the room temperature.
- The vent for your furnace must not be blocked. If it vents out the side wall, make sure it remains clear of leaves, ice and snow. (Electric furnaces don't have vents)
- Newer gas furnaces will usually have an electronic control board equipped with a self-diagnostic light. If the control board detects a problem, the light will flash a code representing the problem. This aids the repair technician in correcting the problem quicker.
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