HVAC maintenance helps keep your heating and cooling appliances and systems in excellent working order. In the bustle of everyday life, however, it is easy to overlook the importance of scheduling preventative and routine maintenance. Fortunately, enrolling in an HVAC maintenance plan can ensure that your system continues to operate at peak efficiency while helping you avoid costly emergencies or repairs. From energy savings to preventing breakdowns, a look at the importance of an HVAC maintenance agreement can help you prioritize the upkeep of your home.
What Is an HVAC System?
HVAC is an acronym for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The purpose of an HVAC system is to regulate the temperature, air quality, and comfort level of a building. Within an HVAC system, the heating component ensures that there is warm air inside of a building during colder months. Likewise, the air condition component cools the air down during hotter months. Finally, ventilation portion helps to circulate treated air throughout rooms.
Regular HVAC maintenance is essential for ensuring that the system’s mechanisms and processes operate correctly. For example, preventive maintenance helps to identify and fix minor problems or errors before they turn into costly repairs. Equipment inspections or checkups can help prolong the life of your HVAC unit. Regular cleaning during maintenance can improve air quality. A well-maintained HVAC system reduces the likelihood of surprise breakdowns and keeps your property compliant with local building codes. Overall, investing in a consistent maintenance plan is critical for creating a safe and comfortable environment for each resident or occupant.
What Are the Signs That I Need HVAC Maintenance?
Routine maintenance is necessary to keep your property in great shape. Without an established HVAC agreement in place, however, it is easy to overlook various components in your system until performance begins to suffer. Key signs that your system needs HVAC maintenance can include the following:
- Uneven temperatures in rooms
- Increase in air particles and contaminants
- Unexplained spike in energy bills
- Unusual sounds or smells from units
- Dust buildup on vents or registers
- Short cycling of HVAC equipment
- Repetitive breakdowns
What Does an HVAC Maintenance Plan Include?
An HVAC maintenance plan is a comprehensive course of action to ensure optimal performance of your heating, cooling, and ventilation system. A maintenance plan may begin with a thorough inspection of your entire system to identify problems before they escalate into major issues. For example, a technician may need to seal air leaks or replace worn parts. Maintenance also involves filter replacement to capture unwanted particles or contaminants and encourage airflow. A technician can also suggest high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to help remove airborne pollutants. Along with the filter installation or upgrades, a technician can also perform duct cleaning to help your system perform smoothly and to prevent dust, mold, and other particulates from circulating through the air.
HVAC maintenance plans also include equipment or hardware inspection and servicing. For example, a technician may check the refrigerant level of your units to ensure correct pressure and lower the risk of compressor failure. A technician can also check moving parts such as the fan blades, bearings, or blower motor. Lubrication of these parts can help reduce friction and wear, thereby extending the life of the equipment. In addition, a technician can clean condenser coils to increase efficiency and useful life of equipment. You should never attempt to clean these yourself as improper handling can result in exposure to toxic chemicals.
Finally, some companies offer maintenance plans that cover electrical equipment. For example, a trained expert can check wiring and safety devices to ensure that they perform correctly and to prevent hazards like electrical fires. Similarly, the expert can thermostat and control systems to verify they are working properly. The company can also offer recommendations on upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat if needed. Maintenance agreements can also include inspecting or repairing your home generator. Regardless of the specific services included, maintenance plans help provide the big picture of the overall condition of your system.
What Are the Benefits of an HVAC Maintenance Plan?
HVAC maintenance plans help you reap the benefits of comprehensive and consistent care. These benefits include increased efficiency, improved air quality, and prioritized service and care.
Increased Energy Efficiency
According to the Department of Energy, HVAC systems that do not receive maintenance can lose up to 5% of their efficiency each year. Poorly maintained HVAC systems have to work harder to maintain consistent conditions within the home. This causes the system to lose efficiency. For example, a defective HVAC unit might constantly cycle on and off in an effort to stabilize room temperatures. This causes the system to consume more energy and can result in an unpleasant spike in utility bills. Regular HVAC maintenance helps the system operate at peak efficiency, reducing energy consumption and saving money on power bills.
Prolonged Equipment Life
By keeping your HVAC units clean, lubricated, and updated, you can prolong the life of crucial components. According to the Department of Energy, the average lifespans of most HVAC units range from 15-20 years. However, frequent problems can shorten this life expectancy. An HVAC maintenance plan ensures that you receive all recommended tune-ups and can identify any hidden problems so that you equipment lasts for as long as possible.
Improved Indoor Air Quality
An HVAC maintenance plan also helps prevent problems with air quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. residents spend up to 90% of time indoors. HVAC maintenance plans help ensure that you breathe indoor air by allowing technicians to change filters, clean coils, and inspect ductwork to keep your home fresh. Regular HVAC maintenance can also help prevent the growth and spread of indoor contaminants like mold, mildew, and bacteria.
Increased Safety
HVAC maintenance plans help safeguard your family by identifying safety hazards ranging from carbon monoxide exposure to black mold. For example, one of the most common causes of carbon monoxide leaks is a cracked or broken heat exchanger. A technician can fix or replace a defective exchange during routine checkups to give your family peace of mind. Similarly, a technician can detect and repair moisture leaks that cause mold or air leaks that increase indoor pollution.
Manufacturer Warranty Compliance
Some manufacturer warranties require proof of maintenance to replace failed equipment. If your appliance breaks down due to neglect, the warranty agreement becomes null and void. A maintenance plan provides a solid track record of upkeep to protect the life of your warranty.
Prioritized Service and Care
Maintenance plan members often receive prioritize response for HVAC repairs. A maintenance plan familiarizes the HVAC company with your home so that technicians can diagnosis and resolve problems efficiently. Most HVAC companies include discounts within agreements, making them more cost-effective than attempting to schedule servicing on your own.
Contact Us Today
An HVAC maintenance plan is an important way to ensure that your system operates as intended. Childers Air Plumbing & Electric offers reliable HVAC maintenance agreements for homes in Beckley, WV and surrounding areas. Our comprehensive plans help protect your HVAC equipment at a fraction of the replacement cost. During our tune-up services, we thoroughly check filters, refrigerant levels and condensate lines, and all mechanical components. We can also check electrical connections as well as clean and lubricate essential parts.
If you simply want to protect all units in your system, Childers Air Plumbing & Electric also has a general equipment club maintenance plan. This plan ensures that technicians correct problems like leaks, check for wear and tear damage, and identify any signs of impending failure long before they turn into replacement emergencies. If you have questions beyond the maintenance plan, our technicians are happy to help with everything from ductless mini-split installation to indoor air quality services. Contact Childers Air Plumbing & Electric today for all your HVAC needs.
