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HVAC Maintenance: Tips to Keep Your Equipment Running

HVAC Maintenance: Tips to Keep Your Equipment Running

Find Out Where YOUR Home is Losing Energy:

Schedule An Energy Audit

Efficiently

Your home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems heat and cool your home, and maintain air quality. To maintain your comfort and make sure your system is working at maximum energy efficiency, you should have your system serviced regularly by certified technicians. Choose NATE certified contractors, and preferably members of ACCA – the American Air Conditioning Contractors Association. Having your HVAC equipment maintained by certified professionals is the key to energy savings, comfort and peace of mind. That’s because they’re trained in the latest techniques and technologies for energy efficiency and comfort.

Avoid Costly Repairs, Failure and Replacement

Aside from comfort and energy efficiency, it’s important to maintain HVAC equipment at all times to increase the lifespan of the equipment, avoid system failures during hot or cold seasons and reduce the likelihood of costly for repairs.

HVAC Maintenance Checklist

During your regular HVAC system maintenance, have your certified HVAC expert check the following:

  • Check that the system starts properly operates well and shuts down safely.
  • Inspect the unit for proper refrigeration and adjust when necessary.
  • Inspect the gas furnace for gas leaks, pressure and combustion to prevent fire hazards.
  • Lubricate all moving parts to avoid friction (and save on your electricity bill).
  • Inspect the control box, wiring and connections, and measure the voltage and current on motors.
  • Listen for any abnormal noises when the system is running.
  • Check the ventilation system to ensure that it is running properly.
  • Monitor system specialization according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
  • Check thermostat settings and adjust them depending on your comfort.

In addition, it is important to clean the air conditioning evaporator and condenser to allow for proper cooling and to increase the life of the equipment. Cleaning and adjustment is performed on the blowers so that clean and dust-free air circulates well within the rooms. Air filters in the central air conditioner, furnace and heat pumps should also be cleaned or replaced regularly to avoid damage of the equipment and reduce energy costs.

In Case of System Failure

In case your HVAC system suddenly fails, troubleshooting by a certified technician will help to restore it back to normal. Your HVAC professional should check the breaker, disconnect it and ensure that the correct amount of power is supplied. They will check the evaporator and condenser fan motors and power circuits for grounds and shorts. If the power supply is functioning correctly, they must ensure that the thermostat is turned on and there is power control to it. Your HVAC professional should be able to find the problem and provide a solution.

Of course no one wants to be without heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer. The key to reducing system failure is regular maintenance. Ask your local Building Energy Pros affiliate about their HVAC maintenance package.

Other HVAC solutions:

We were unaware of what was involved in an energy audit and your audior took the time to explain everything. We were impressed with the report which told us the areas in which we need to take action on. He never pressured us to use any particular contractors, he just suggested that we go to the Building Energy Pros web site to select contractors of our own choice. He did an excellent job and we HIGHLY recommend the Building Energy Pros. We already have recommended them to several of our neighbors. Again, EXCELLENT JOB!
Cynthia Simpson

The Building Energy Pros auditor was very knowledgeable. I was VERY HAPPY with him. He promptly E-mailed my energy audit report to me and I will consider all of his recommendations.
Tom McGee

We found out that our house really has no energy problems. We are happy to know that we
Leslie Stewart

I was very satisfied with your energy auditor. He was very qualified and spent a great deal of time with me. The energy audit was very informative.
P.B.

The energy auditor was very good and helpful. He keeps in touch with me to answer any of my questions.
D.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. The auditor gave me some tips on attic insulation that were very helpful.
R.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. Thank you!
R.S.

Very good service! I am going to replace the windows as the auditor had suggested.
D.W.

I was very happy with the energy audit. THANKS!
A. M.

My energy audit was very helpful. Joe Dempsey, your auditor, identified some structural problems that I was not aware of and explained to me why I need more insulation.
J. F.

The auditor was EXCELLENT! He spent ALOT of time with me. I am going to take 3 to 4 of his suggestions and correct these small items to save on my energy bills.
M. B.

The auditor did a GREAT JOB! He knew a lot about older homes, which we have. The report was very comprehensive. Thank you!
Vicki Nez/at

Your energy auditor was very nice and helpful. He answered all of our questions. We will recommend Building Energy Pros to our friends and neighbors.
Katherine McCaffrey

The auditor did a TERRIFIC JOB! The report was FANTASTIC! I will make all the repairs he suggested. I will definitely recommend him to everyone I know that could benefit from a home energy audit.
Steve Sleigh, Chevy Chase

The energy auditor was very professional and I am very satisfied with both the energy audit and the report I received. I will be referring the Building Energy Pros.
Tim Clary

I was very satisfied with the auditor. He was great and gave me some very valuable information. I will refer him to people I know who may need a home energy audit.
Willie Gantt

Your home energy audit proved to be very informative and helpful. I was not aware of the updraft created inside our walls because of the balloon framing construction. You said that that can cause heat to be pulled out of the house with the draft going up inside the walls and should be re-mediated. You also said that the attic insulation was insufficient and that fiberglass batts can leave spaces for around the edges causing heat loss and that it should have blown in insulation on top of what was there to seal the whole attic and increase the r factor. After going over your findings and telling me how you would fix the problems you told me how I could do it myself with stuff from the Home Center and for a quarter of the cost. Well, I did. I went into the basement and filled the bottom of the wall joist with unfaced insulation where they set on the sill plate. I then cut one inch foam board the size for each space and set it in and the sealed the edges of that with expanding foam as well as the sill plate to the foundation. I also sealed the sill plate to the foundation where the joist ran along it, as well as the top of those joist where it made contact with the subflooring. Next I went to the home center and rented their blown insulation machine and got ten bales of the insulation. I filled the attic on top of the batt insulation with about six inches giving another r-19 factor on top of the r-19 that was there. You said that the blown in would also help seal the heat loss around the edges of the batt. The work in the basement cost $144.00 and the work in the attic cost $328.00. After the 30% federal energy tax credit it will end up costing me about $330.00, which you said I should recover in savings in the first year. Thank You for all your advice and expertise. You made me aware of things I should consider and did.
Tommy Thompson