The Best Regular Maintenance for Your HVAC System

When it comes to keeping the HVAC system maintained and running well, people who are keen to get it done themselves can read here about how they can get the most out of their HVAC and AC systems without needlessly calling over the experts.

Here are some HVAC maintenance tips that you can use.

Check Your Condenser

The condenser is typically found outside, but depending on the type it can also be located in the garage or attic. It usually has copper tubes, which are sometimes covered by a foam layer, running from it to your house. It works by the process of heat transfer, cooling the air blown inside and drawing warm air out from inside the house.

You need to make sure that power is not running through the unit when you are going to clean it. You can get this done either by removing the breaker/block or by moving the switch to the off position. If you think that is hard to do, you can also check your condenser at the main electrical panel.

Ideally, you could use a rough paintbrush to remove the debris that is easy to dislodge. After this, you could clean the finer debris with your vacuum cleaner and the brush attachment. You also need to keep the area surrounding the condenser free from plant growth or other objects at least a 2 ft radius around the unit.

Instead, try using an old dinner knife to effectively scrape any stuck-on debris between the fins, and to reshape any fins that are bent. This is also an area where a lot of dust and debris can accumulate over time and it needs to be cleaned at regular intervals.

The easiest way to clean it is by wiping it down with a damp cloth and then letting it dry in the sun. The easiest method to clean the fins is by spraying water with a garden hose or even better, equipped with a hose nozzle. This removes a lot of dirt that wouldn’t have been dislodged with earlier methods.

Checking The Fan Lubrication

If your fan motor doesn’t come with sealed bearings, then you can check your fan’s lubrication as well. A few drops of electric motor oil (don’t use other oils) should do nicely. The evaporator unit installed indoors is what heats or cools the air inside your house. It works with the air conditioner or the heat pump to keep the internal temperature comfortable.

They need to be cleaned regularly so there is no drop in the system’s efficiency. The evaporator coil door is usually found inside the blower/furnace unit and a lot of dust and debris get accumulated. You can use a soft brush to get the dust out of the way to start with and then spray it with a no-rinse coil cleaner – this liquid will help get rid of deposits and other gunk off the coil and improve its efficiency.

It Might Be The Evaporator

Sometimes the evaporator drain gets clogged due to the buildup of algae and mold, and it needs to be unplugged. A clogged drain can cause flooding which damages the floor or if equipped with a drain float, causes the unit to cease functioning until it is drained of water. Clogging can also cause a bad odor to emanate from the unit.

You can use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to get rid of debris in the evaporator drain.

Replacing Your Blower Filter

Changing your blower filter is something that is dependent on where you live. Dusty environments necessitate an additional change of filters. Your HVAC system blower filter needs to be changed out at least twice a year.

Something you need to look at is that the airflow rating of the existing filter and the new filter element should match. The filter is usually found in the enclosure at the end of the fresh air return duct. Removing this from the enclosure is simple. If you’re done with all the steps above, your HVAC and AC unit should be a lot cleaner and more effective at controlling the temperature.

The interior filters need to be changed more often. At least every three months. But check it monthly. If it looks dark and clogged, go ahead and change it. If you have pets, you’ll probably need to change every month.

Make Sure to Have a Regular Professional Maintenance Schedule

It’s a good idea to hire an HVAC company to inspect and do maintenance on your system every fall and spring. They’ll do things like inspecting and clean the wiring and mechanisms of the air conditioner and furnace, which is a bit more challenging for the average homeowner.

Need to have your HVAC serviced? Contact Trust Heating and Air today!