Whenever a new year arrives, we always tend to stop and think about the year that just ended, as well as the year that is about to begin. In terms of homeowners, this provides the chance for them to take better care of their HVAC units, which can be perhaps a home’s largest energy drain. When you take the time to maintain your unit, you will have an increased amount of indoor air quality, home comfort, and energy savings.

Here are three of the most useful new year HVAC maintenance tips.

*First and foremost, perhaps one of the most useful new year HVAC maintenance tips is to both clean and maintain. Begin by coming up with a schedule for checking and replacing your filters, which should be done every two to three months. From there, check the blower assembly and clean throughout the wheel, motor, and housing. Other steps to include are inspecting your heat exchanger, cleaning outdoor and indoor coils, checking on your drain pan lines, and adding grease to motors and bearings approximately every three months.

*Another of the most useful new year HVAC maintenance tips is to seal leaks. This involves looking for any damaged, un-insulated, or leaky ductwork and repairing it accordingly. If you have a gas-fueled furnace, carefully inspect it for any and all possible leaks that could potentially be costing you energy, safety, and efficiency.

*One other useful new year HVAC maintenance tip is to consider add-ons. For instance, think about investing in a programmable thermostat for your home, which is something that can save both money and energy by providing you with increased control over the temperature of your home. Even better is the fact that installation is both simple and easy due to the fact that the wiring is the same as it is for more traditional thermostats. Additionally, you should also make regular appointments with your HVAC contractor in order to ensure that a professional technician is able to come to your home to both inspect and perform some additional cleaning.