You may love using your heating and cooling systems as much as you love driving, but like a vehicle, HVAC systems require occasional check-ups. Regular HVAC maintenance not only assures that your system is in proper working order at certain intervals, but it can also save your life. Below are four reasons why regular HVAC maintenance is so important.
Extending the Life of Your System
On average, air conditioners can last 12 to 15 years and furnaces can last 20. However, as HVAC systems age or are in heavy usage, they become less energy efficient. Regular HVAC maintenance can help extend the life of your system by allowing it to work efficiently during its lifecycle. It’s best that you schedule two tune-ups a year, one before the summer and the other before the winter months.
Saving You Money in the Long Run
You can save money for years to come if you are able to extend the life of your HVAC system. Another way regular HVAC maintenance saves you long-term is by preventing costly breakdowns and emergency repairs. For example, by scheduling regular tune-ups, your HVAC professional can catch any problems with your system and address them quickly.
Yet another long-term benefit of regular HVAC system maintenance is your continued warranty protection. If you ever need a free or discounted repair or replacement part from a manufacturer, they may not honor your warranty unless you can show them proof of annual maintenance.
In the short term, regular HVAC maintenance can lower your monthly utility bills. HVAC systems will operate at optimal energy efficiency if, for instance, you clean or replace your filters every one to three months to prevent dust and other pollutants from building up. When filters are clogged, your system must work harder than it should.
Improving Your Indoor Air Quality
Your air conditioner can help improve your home’s air quality by ventilating the air from room to room. However, you may need to introduce air from the outdoors through other means. Regardless, keep the air that’s circulating throughout your home relatively clean by replacing or cleaning your filters and having a professional clean your ducts when the time comes. This can have long-term benefits on your health by limiting the pollutants, like mold and dust mites, that you breathe in daily.
Keeping Your Home Safer
Regular HVAC maintenance is not only good for your health because it improves the air quality; it’s also a safety measure. For instance, if your heat exchanger were to fail, it could cause carbon monoxide leaks. Carbon monoxide is an extremely deadly gas, even in small quantities. Have a professional perform regular carbon monoxide tests to catch this problem when it arises.
If you haven’t scheduled regular HVAC tune-ups, do so as soon as possible. Not only are these checkups good for your system, but they can also benefit you personally in the short and long term. Regular maintenance saves you money, but more importantly, it can have a tremendous effect on your health.