Most homes in the United States use heating systems during the chilly winter. Regardless of your AC system, the end goal is to maintain a comfortable temperature in your space. Since heating systems are a crucial and integral part of your lifestyle, you must have them checked regularly for effective operation throughout the year.
Regular AC maintenance will protect your system and furnace. Skimping on basic maintenance may cost you much more to fix the system. In some cases, you need basic maintenance skills to keep it running smoothly.
HVAC replacement could cost about $ 10,000 and above, but with some simple maintenance routines, you may not need to incur such amounts. Consider the crucial tips on how to take proper care of your heating system.
Check Thermostat
A thermostat check is one of the easiest ways to carry out your heating system maintenance and a good way to tell if everything is working well.
Turn the thermostat up twice a year, in the fall and spring. Allow the furnace time to run for a while; if it continues, your system works well.
A furnace that switches off in less than a few minutes points to a problem that suggests short cycling. Experts at CM heating for instance, can help you identify a problem. When checking your thermostat, ensure it is in the right setting and cool or hot mode.
Check and Replace Filters
Regular filter checks are an effective yet simple heating system maintenance task. Make it a point to check your air filters every month and replace them after every three months. However, replace the oil filter every year for oil-fired furnaces or boilers.
Replacing filters will improve the air quality in your home and make the heating system more efficient. A clean air filter also helps avoid bigger and more costly issues with your HVAC shortly.
Tune-Up the Heat Pump
Heat pump tune-up is not a DIY aspect of heating system maintenance but one of those things you need to leave for experts.
It is, however, crucial to do it regularly. The best time to schedule your unit’s tune-up is before the extreme weather, as you want to identify any anomaly before the heat pump starts to work harder.
When your heat pump is in great condition, it prevents excess wear and tears on it; hence you will enjoy a more efficient heat pump. Also, you will avoid the heating system developing big issues.
Clean the Outside Unit
During the home heating maintenance system, remember the outside unit. All heat pumps have a team kept outdoors, and as temperatures get low, leaves fall and get lodged in the external unit fan. On chilly winter days, snow may accumulate on your heat pump’s outdoor unit when the heavy storms rage.
Take time to remove debris, dust, and snow on your heat pump outdoor unit, especially during the transitional season.
Keep Internal Vent Clean
Check the vents in each room inside your home. Often, the vents get blocked with dust, dirt, pet hair, and other debris.
When the internal vents block, your furnace functionality is compromised, and the air will not circulate in your home as it should. If the airflow is interrupted, you will put extra stress on the furnace affecting its performance. As a result, your unit’s efficiency and lifespan are significantly reduced.
Avoid Overworking the System
One of the best and most effective ways to keep your system working well is by reducing the amount of cooling and heating it does.
Look out for leaking doors and windows, which allow cold and hot air, giving more work to your unit. Make intentional efforts to keep the extreme temperatures from entering your house.
The more air from outside gets in; the more your furnace has to run. As a result, the heating system gets undue pressure, has a shorter lifespan, and may develop more serious problems.
Do a home inspection by checking the door frames and window edges. Hold a candle near the window frames and check if the air is getting in. Consider sealing the window edges and door frames with a simple foam strip to protect your heating system. You will save a lot of money in the long run.
Taking proper care of your heating systems requires you to understand their functionality well. This may need you to consider hiring an HVAC professional to conduct an energy audit in your home. An energy audit can also help point out any other areas you can address to impact your furnace.
Retrofitting
Whether using gas boilers or a furnace at home, retrofitting is the best way to use the latest heating technologies.
Retrofitting allows you to incorporate any HVAC technology into your heating system, making it more efficient for use. If replacing your current heating unit is not an option in your house, consider retrofitting.
Conclusion
Taking proper care of your heating system will require you to work with a reliable HVAC professional by scheduling regular checkups.
However, it helps to sharpen your DIY skills in heating system maintenance so that you can fix some of the minor issues that may arise. A little hack like lubricating your heating system’s oil ports improves the unit’s efficiency and is one of the care tips you can do at home.
Good care and maintenance of your unit is a preventive approach that will save you considerable money and time from the unit repairs.