Preventative maintenance is key to ensuring you get the most out of your HVAC system. Think of it like an oil change for a car. You could run your car without regular maintenance, but it will become clunky and need significant repairs. However, with a little TLC, your car will last longer, run more efficiently, and be reliable when needed.
HVAC preventative maintenance is no different. Maintaining your system lets you know you will have heat during the cold Pennsylvania winters and AC during the sweltering heat of the summer. Aside from the discomfort of your home, maintaining your system gives you some solid perks like clean air and lower energy bills, not to mention you decrease your carbon footprint.
At a minimum, have your system checked out twice a year: in the spring and fall. Leckron’s professionals will walk you through every step of the process, including what items you can take care of on your own and what you need a trained technician to complete.
Read on to discover how preventative maintenance is vital for your HVAC system.
Save Money with HVAC Maintenance
Saving money is a goal of most homeowners, especially with our economy’s rising costs. Preventative maintenance allows you to use your money for more enjoyable activities than fixing your AC amid a heat wave.
Prevent Breakdowns
According to the Indoor Quality Air Association, “regular HVAC maintenance is said to reduce the risk of costly breakdowns by as much as 95%.”
HVAC systems have a big job. They are responsible for keeping the comfort of an entire building, despite the sweltering heat or the freezing winds. The parts will be tested and can show signs of overuse. Be it a belt, compressor, coil, or any other part, the last thing you want is the surprise of a breakdown.
Our professional technicians ensure your system works properly and detected issues are addressed. Our experts understand the wear and tear of HVAC systems and work with you to prevent a costly breakdown. Should a problem be discovered, they will walk you through each recommendation and give options based on your situation.
Extend the Life of your System
Taking care of your car extends the years you get out of your purchase. An HVAC system is no different.
Preventative maintenance increases the chance of your unit lasting up to twenty years! Unfortunately, when overuse taxes your system, belts will likely fray, or coils will break.
And it generally isn’t a single problem after years of neglect. HVAC equipment tends to have a domino effect, ultimately placing your entire system at risk of breaking from a single malfunctioning part.
With preventative maintenance, these issues are more likely to be caught before they happen.
Lower Bills
When not properly maintained, an HVAC system uses more energy to achieve the same result. Firing up a struggling unit causes the unit to work harder to cool/heat a residence resulting in a higher electricity bill for you.
By regularly maintaining your HVAC unit, it cools and heats at maximum efficiency. The “is it still working” test isn’t enough to determine if your system is operating at its highest capacity. You could be losing up to 40% of its energy efficiency.
And it’s more than just the energy bill. By keeping your unit well maintained, you prevent costly emergency repairs later. What is just a tune-up now protects you from a breakdown or, worse, a new system. Households and businesses that commit to the regular preventative maintenance of their HVAC systems are more likely to extend the life of their systems.
Maintain your Warranty
Because HVAC manufacturers know regular maintenance is demanded to keep a system at its peak performance, many require proof of annual maintenance. They want to avoid paying the bill for pricey components due to an owner’s lack of preventative maintenance.
Preventative maintenance not only reduces the chance of a breakdown but also keeps your warranty valid should you need to file a claim. If you do need to file a claim, many parts and repairs will likely be covered thanks to your diligence, lowering your out-of-pocket expense.
Preventative Maintenance Improves Air Quality
When it comes to allergens and poor air quality, you likely think of a spring day or an alert coming through your phone.
In actuality, the EPA estimates the air inside your home carries 2-5 times higher levels of airborne pollutants than outside. From pet dander, pollen, mold, and dust mites, indoor allergens pose a risk for your whole family, particularly if anyone has asthma or another respiratory issue.
When your system does not receive regular preventative maintenance, these pollutants build up in the ductwork and then circulate through the house. In addition, HVAC systems that are not maintained allow poorly controlled humidity and risk of high levels of carbon monoxide.
Signs of poor air quality come in many forms. Some people feel fatigued or have headaches, while others may show visible symptoms of allergies. Long-term exposure to poor air quality can result in major health issues such as heart and respiratory disease and even some cancers.
Keep your Home Safer with Preventative Maintenance
HVAC systems fail, and parts crack. When a crack occurs in the heat exchanger, your household risks carbon monoxide leaking out from the system.
This colorless, odorless gas lurks in the background causing long-term effects. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Depending on the degree and length of exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause: Permanent brain damage. Damage to your heart, possibly leading to life-threatening cardiac complications. Fetal death or miscarriage.” In some cases, it could even cause death.
Electric HVAC systems are not without their risks. Short circuits in the system can result in fire. Inconvenient breakdowns put your family in danger during Pennsylvania’s freezing winters. When the home cannot keep the pipes warm, they can burst, leading to costly damage. In the humid summers, increased moisture allows perfect conditions for mold, triggering asthma attacks and allergies.
There is no need to panic about your HVAC system. Preventative maintenance allows technicians to search and detect issues in your HVAC that may lead to cracks and leaks. They can test the air and install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Tune-ups ensure oil burns efficiently, vents are open, and prevent emergency breakdowns.
Preventative Maintenance Keeps your Home Comfortable
There is something comforting about knowing how your house will feel when you walk through it. Yet, certain rooms may feel warmer or cooler than others.
Poorly maintained HVAC systems struggle to keep up with demand. They cannot move the warm or cold air to the rooms or keep moisture levels at the prime level. Furthermore, smells and noises from your unit or vents may regularly disrupt your day.
Preventative maintenance ensures the air from the vents is as reliable as possible, cooling and heating as evenly as your system allows. Consistent inspections allow for problem diagnosis, repair, part replacement and keeps any clanging to a minimum.
Reduce your Green Footprint with Preventative Maintenance
Simple fact: when your system is well-maintained, it uses less fuel and energy. According to Energy Star, half of the energy usage in most homes goes toward heating and cooling.
Since HVAC systems using oil, propane, natural gas, or coal rely on non-renewable fuel, they must run as efficiently as possible. It took millions of years to create this fuel source, and we are incapable of recreating it when it’s depleted.
In addition, 76% of human-caused carbon emission is due to burning fossil fuels for energy. Trapped carbon dioxide keeps the earth warm, but recently the concern about carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere has drawn much attention. Maintaining your HVAC system reduces the fuel your home uses, thus decreasing its environmental impact.
In addition, trained HVAC technicians handling refrigerants are required to have EPA Section 608 Certification. They are skilled in troubleshooting HVAC systems to pinpoint what is needed to improve efficiency and in turn, decrease the energy needed to run the system.
Leckron gives you Peace of Mind
While you cannot predict when the next snowstorm or heat wave will hit, you can prepare your home for it.
With Leckron, we value your comfort and safety. Our technicians are skilled in discovering issues that could go awry while offering options for any budget. They understand a system’s potential problems and know how to keep it in peak condition.
Schedule your preventative maintenance and give yourself the peace of mind that you are saving money, extending the life of your system, and keeping your family safer all year long. Find out why our customers continue to come back to Leckron’s.
