Your HVAC system works relentlessly to keep your home comfortable and safe from extreme temperatures, but this hard work can eventually take a toll on its lifespan.
Maintaining an HVAC system well can extend its life by increasing functionality and decreasing energy waste.
Follow these five best practices to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Keep your HVAC system strong by following our tips, and for a comprehensive maintenance plan, check out River Valley.
1. Keep it clean
Maintaining a clean home will extend the life of your HVAC system. Air filters accumulate dirt, dust, and debris over time, which clogs them, forcing your system to work harder than necessary. Regular replacement can help ensure optimal performance from your system.
Duct cleaning is another vital task for improving air quality and HVAC efficiency. Aiming for at least annual ductwork cleaning improves both.
2. Don’t overwork it
Your HVAC system works tirelessly to make your home warm and cozy, but its continual work takes its toll. To extend and prolong its life expectancy, do everything possible to avoid overusing it.
Overworking increases wear and tear, leading to frequent repairs and shortening lifespan.
Utilizing a programmable thermostat and closing curtains during summer to take advantage of natural sunlight will also help your system’s workload decrease.
Furthermore, having your system professionally sized by an HVAC contractor will help save on energy costs while extending its life – you can ask a heating and cooling specialist to conduct a load calculation at your home or business.
3. Turn it down
No matter how well they’re cared for, most HVAC systems eventually end their valuable lives. Replacing an older system is often costly; many homeowners look for ways to extend its lifespan as much as possible.
Just like it’s difficult to run at full speed for an extended period of time, your HVAC system isn’t built to be blasted. Turn it down a few degrees to a comfortable, but reasonable, temperature.
One way of doing this is installing a programmable thermostat. This will enable you to turn down your system while at work or sleeping and raise it before returning home – thus saving wear and tear on the system and energy costs.
As temperatures heat up this summer, consider installing floor and ceiling fans to help cool your home. Drapes provide shade during the daytime, while open windows let in fresh air at nightfall.
4. Inspect it regularly
Regular maintenance for your HVAC system can extend its lifespan considerably, typically involving changing or cleaning air filters, testing various components and inspecting ducts for leaks.
In addition to helping extend warranties and detect problems before they lead to breakdowns, maintaining this routine protects you against breakdowns that could later cost more money in repairs.
Unsafe ducts, unbalanced dampers (which regulate heating and cooling in different building rooms), or loose connections are some of the many issues that could compromise your HVAC system’s lifespan, which should be addressed quickly to avoid worsening over time.
5. Add insulation
An effective way to extend the lifespan of your HVAC system is to prevent it from overworking, which is best accomplished by ensuring your home is adequately insulated. Drafty homes can become energy drains that rob conditioned air from your system while punishing its efficiency in turn.
Insulation can enhance your home’s energy efficiency by slowing heat transfer between inside and outside spaces, making a noticeable difference in heating and cooling costs.
Insulation is an integral part of any HVAC system’s efficiency, as insulated ductwork helps ensure air does not escape in either summer or winter, lowering your home energy bills and extending life expectancy.
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