You dream of golden beaches, gondolas, and trips to Venice, Italy. Suddenly, your heating ventilation and air conditioning system, or HVAC, needs maintenance, repair work, or even replacing. Will you ever be able to enjoy life’s little luxuries? It turns out, with planning and preparation, you can manage your HVAC without letting it ruin your finances in three simple steps.
Choosing the right system for your property and location
Three Ways To Extend The Life of Your HVAC System
Image via Flickr by NAVFAC
Purchasing an undersized system is one of the first mistakes to avoid. It’s tempting to save money by choosing a smaller system for your property. After all, HVAC systems are hideously expensive. However, your HVAC will start up frequently and consume a lot more power, both of which mean big utility bills. The Electricity Use Calculator helps you figure why your HVAC consumes a lot more power, Worse, undersized systems wear out faster because of constant overuse.
The next step is to get the HVAC installed by reputable professionals. A proper installation will cover issues that need to be addressed, especially related to ductwork. Ducts need good sealing and insulation to perform at peak efficiency; your professional HVAC team should have this covered. HVAC installation can be a messy and dusty process, so it is advised that you cover flooring and all furniture and household items that cannot be moved for protection. Then, once the installation is complete, you may want to contact an Atlanta maid service or similar professional cleaning service in your area to give the house a full spring clean and get it dust-free and shiny clean once again!
Pay attention to the intended environment for the unit. Your HVAC experts may suggest a different machine for environments with high heat or humidity or cold. They should give you an estimated load calculation to determine which type of HVAC is the right size for your property/location.
Buying quality HVAC equipment and installing professionally
Don’t be fooled into choosing cheaper HVAC equipment because the headline prices seem to save you a bundle! Do your own homework to figure out how much it will cost over the life of the equipment.
Check out consumer guides and reviews online to see what the real advantages and problems come with the HVAC units you are considering. You’ll find gems of advice there to help steer you in the right direction. Then confirm your findings with several HVAC experts before committing to purchasing.
The next step is to get the HVAC installed by reputable professionals. A proper installation will cover issues that need to be addressed, especially related to ductwork. Ducts need good sealing and insulation to perform at peak efficiency; your professional HVAC team should have this covered.
Keeping the HVAC cleaned and maintained regularly
HVAC experts also advise deeper cleaning services to clean the machine’s guts. This also provides an opportunity for maintenance to check on the unit’s performance and take preventative measures, like adding oil or refrigerant. They’ll also be able to diagnose duct blockages and tears which both impact the unit’s efficiency. How To Geek provides excellent tips on how to have your HVAC properly properly optimized.
Once installed, regular cleaning of the HVAC units is essential if you want to keep them operating well. So you can do your part by cleaning to keep dust and dirt out of the system if done regularly. Also, changing filters and clearing debris out of air-ducts are tasks that will benefit your environment.
Failure in your HVAC maintenance plan will dramatically reduce the HVAC unit’s operational life and produce expensive repairs at the same time. Developing and keeping to a regular maintenance schedule will increase your unit’s life expectancy, cut your energy usage, and save money in the long run.
In short, choose the best HVAC for your property, buy quality equipment and installation, then keep the system maintained. You’ll get the most bang for your buck without your HVAC busting your budget.