9 Steps To Prolong The Life Of Your Home HVAC Unit

9 Steps To Prolong The Life Of Your Home HVAC Unit

Here’s a quick, comprehensive guide to maintaining your own HVAC.

The best way to maintain an efficient and effective home HVAC unit all year round is to hire an HVAC technician to inspect and perform maintenance on your system every fall and spring. They’ll be able to do a much more detailed inspection that the average homeowner and are capable of cleaning wiring and mechanisms of the unit, which can be a bit more challenging.

That being said, there are some things you can do on your own to increase the lifespan and efficiency of your home HVAC unit if you follow these simple steps:

Buy a Better Filter

The high-efficiency pleated filters available for nearly every home HVAC unit today have an electrostatic charge that works as a magnet. This collects even the tiniest of particles that could otherwise enter your home and reduce your indoor air quality.

2’ Rule

Make sure that there’s at least 2 feet of space around your outdoor HVAC units.

Clean It Up

Remove leaves, dirt, pollen, dust, and twigs from your outdoor home HVAC unit weekly throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Check that lawn clippings aren’t getting lodged into the unit when you’re maintaining your yard.

Check the refrigerant lines

At least once a month, inspect the insulation on refrigerant lines that lead into your home. If damaged or missing, replace as soon as possible.

Inspect that your home HVAC unit is level

Each year, make it a point to check and see if your unit is level on firm ground. Inspect the pads underneath for any wear and tear that could cause it to slide or become uneven.

Prevent clogs

Once a year, pour a cup of bleach mixed with water into the air-conditioner condensate to prevent clogs. The mixture will keep mold and algae from building up.

20% Rule

Don’t close more than 20% of your home’s registers. This ensures that unnecessary strain isn’t being put on your HVAC system as it attempts to run.

Stay Safe

Every single year, make sure to replace the battery in your home’s carbon monoxide detector to protect the safety and well-being of your family