Regardless of whether you’ve purchased a home for the first time or if you’ve purchased yet another one, one of the most important things to be familiar with is all of the systems that are designed to control the overall level of comfort. This will enable you to perform all of the basic maintenance required for an HVAC unit, as well as recognize any and all issues and avoid making any rookie mistakes.
Here are five of the most common HVAC tips and tricks that all new homeowners should consider making note of.
- *Perhaps one of the most effective methods in ensuring that an HVAC unit is kept in the best shape possible is to change the air filter as often as recommended by the unit’s manufacturer. Generally, this is often done between one and six months, and there are also some thermostats that will also remind you when the time has come to change the air filter in your unit.
- It’s also a good idea to know as much as possible about your HVAC unit, such as whether your home has central air conditioning, a boiler, mini-split systems, or heat pumps. Once you are able to learn about how your home is heated and cooled (i.e. natural gas, electricity, propane, oil), you should also take the time to learn more information about the unit itself, such as its age, efficiency rating, warranty, and previous maintenance inspection results.
- Conducting annual HVAC maintenance is another useful task to consider as well. This is where you will need to hire a local service to perform maintenance on the unit at least once per year. This will ensure that the unit is in the most optimal condition possible, as well as make you aware of any and all issues that could end up resulting in major repairs if they aren’t taken care of as soon as possible. Generally, this type of service should be conducted during either the spring or the fall.
- When it comes to ice, always take care with this. While it’s fine if a little bit of ice forms on your HVAC unit during the winter, you will need to contact a professional in the event that you notice much larger sheets or blocks during the winter or even ice formations during warmer weather. Under absolutely no circumstances should you pour warm water on the ice in order to melt it, as this can result in damage being done to your HVAC unit.
- Always keep all of your vents in your home open instead of closing them, especially in rooms that you don’t use all that often. Keeping vents closed will actually increase your energy bills due to your HVAC unit having to work harder in order to maintain the general comfort level in your home. In the event that you may only want to heat or cool specific spaces in your home, it’s recommended that you speak to a licensed HVAC professional for more information on how this can be done.
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