Maintaining and repairing your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is one of the smartest things you can do as a homeowner. Few things are more unpleasant than when you come home on a cold winter night to find the heat won’t come on. The best way to avoid this and a similar situation is to perform annual heating maintenance services of your heating and cooling system.
Why Should I Maintain My Heating System?
The most important reason for having annual or seasonal heating maintenance services performed is to prevent last-minute breakdowns when the weather gets cold. Secondly, it’s crucial to maintain your system and complete minor repairs to avoid far more expensive last-minute repairs when you turn on your system for the first time in the fall or winter.
Repairing Your Heating System is expensive!
Reason 1: Increase Longevity
Replacing the heating and cooling system in your home can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 or higher depending on where you live and what type of system you have in your home. Would you rather your system last five years or twenty? Get annual heating maintenance and check-ups to extend the life of your HVAC system.
Reason 2: Breathe Cleaner Air in Your Home
Who wants to breathe nasty, dusty, pollen and dander-filled air? No one. Make your home a more enjoyable space for everyone by maintaining the health of your HVAC system and keeping the air as clean as possible. And what is the best type of filter for your system? Find out here.
Reason 3: Avoid Last-Minute, Emergency Repairs
Imagine the proverbial snow is already falling, roads are closed, and everyone is home for the evening. Flights are canceled at the airport, and no one is going anywhere. Is this the type of moment you want your heating system to fail? Or for your air conditioning to fail on a scorching hot summer day? No, you don’t, because no one does.
How Should I Maintain My Heating System?
There are a few easy steps you can take to increase the lifetime of your HVAC system and avoid emergency repairs. The following are just a few things you or a trained professional from a heating maintenance services company can do to make your system last.
Service Step 1: Clean the Furnace
The furnace is the appliance that heats the air that circulates through a central heating system. HVAC technicians use a specially-designed vacuum called a soot vac to clean out furnaces. It is suggested to have this service performed in the late summer or early fall, before the cold weather comes, to make sure your furnace is running at top efficiency.
Service Step 2: Change the Filter
Most homeowners know how important it is to change the air filters on their HVAC systems, but it is easy to forget. Change your air filters at least every three months. One of the most common problems homeowners have with their HVAC is a dirty filter, which blocks airflow, making your system work even harder to pump air through your house, which increases your monthly costs.
Service Step 3: Get a Smart Thermostat
Some of the biggest names in tech have their own lines of smart thermostats; Google Nest, Amazon Smart Thermostat, and the Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat are just a few examples of what’s available. Installing a smart thermostat can greatly reduce your heating and cooling bills.
Where Can I Get Professional Heating Maintenance Help?
There are many different places to get expert heating maintenance services from well-known and trusted companies. The available companies will vary based on the location of your home, but you will no doubt be able to find a company that is local and can fit your budget.
What Else Should I Know About My HVAC System?
You should also know that nothing lasts forever, including heating and air conditioning systems. Screws come loose, components fail, and wires get frayed. It is for these reasons that you must have a professional from a reputable heating maintenance service check up on your system. They should check it seasonally to ensure that your system lasts as long as possible.
What If My Heating System Is Broken Right Now?
If your heating and/or air conditioning system is currently not functioning properly or functioning at all, call or email a heating maintenance services company immediately. Even if the weather is fair and the issue doesn’t seem urgent, call a professional right away to make sure the problem doesn’t get worse.
Conclusion
Heating system maintenance is one of the most important things homeowners can do to protect their wallets and the value of their homes. While there are upfront costs involved, these costs are much smaller than those that arise after ignoring issues or neglecting seasonal cleanings and check-ups.