You own a home. Now what? Naturally, your home has a heating and cooling system as part of it. But many components make up an HVAC system. These include your furnace, air conditioner, ductworks, vents & registers, thermostats, and air filters. As a homeowner, it is not only essential to understand the parts that make up your HVAC system but to know the basics about your HVAC system as well. You don’t want to get caught by surprise should anything come up with your heating and cooling system.
Here are 5 basics from your friends at Beavercreek Heating & Cooling that they believe every homeowner should know:
1. How Old Is Your HVAC System?
If something were to happen with your system suddenly, it is helpful to know the age of your unit since your furnace and cooling units’ lifespan depends on the care and preventative maintenance they receive. In addition, the longer an HVAC system runs, its efficiency will gradually decrease. This leads to higher energy consumption and cost extensive energy bills. So knowing exactly how long your HVAC system has been around is quite useful information for homeowners.
2. What Kind of HVAC System Do You Have?
Another important thing homeowners should know about their HVAC system is the type of system in the home. There are so many different types of furnaces and AC units. Do you know if your furnace is gas or electric? Do you have centralized air? Knowing these specifications can assist you in the future if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to make an informed decision about your HVAC system. Of course, if you aren’t sure of the type of system you have, that’s no problem! Don’t feel bad; your Beavercreek Heating & Cooling NATE-certified technicians can help figure all that out during your next seasonal maintenance check!
3. Why Is Indoor Air Quality Important?
Did you know that the indoor air quality or IAQ within a home can be up to five times more polluted than the outdoors? Poor IAQ in a home will reap both short-term and long-term side effects that affect the health and well-being of each individual in your household. While some individuals are less likely to react to air pollutants, poor air quality typically affects those with preexisting medical conditions such as asthma or allergies. Age is also a leading factor in which individuals react negatively to poor IAQ. For this reason, we highly suggest changing your air filters every 1-2 months. An air filter’s job is to trap and hold those pesky air pollutants; therefore, not changing them out as recommended is not only harmful to your HVAC system, but can be harmful to you and your family’s health too.
4. How Can You Tell When Something is Wrong with Your HVAC System?
You should become familiar with your HVAC system. Recognizing it when it emits a funky smell or makes an unusual sound. This is key to understanding what your HVAC system may be trying to signal. Another thing to keep in mind is that your thermostat works in conjunction with the HVAC system; it is the tool that operates and controls your system’s settings. Learning how to efficiently use your thermostat and read it will be advantageous to you in order to keep everything running efficiently and help you identify further problems.
5. How Should You Practice Preventative Maintenance?
At this point, you might be wondering how to maintain the upkeep of your HVAC system. Rest easy; we’ve got you covered! Your furnace should be serviced for its tune-up & safety check every fall. Likewise, your air conditioning unit should be serviced for its tune-up & safety check every spring. These routine checks ensure everything is running as it should be and there are no underlying issues that need to be addressed. These seasonal maintenance checks, coupled with you regularly changing your air filters, will work wonders to extend your HVAC system’s lifespan.
These are just a few basic points that we believe every homeowner should know and practice when it comes to proper maintenance and getting the most out of your HVAC system. However, if you suspect an issue is going on with your system, or perhaps you still need to schedule that spring tune-up & safety check for your AC unit, don’t hesitate to give us a call! Beavercreek Heating & Cooling is here to help you with all your HVAC needs! Call today at (937) 708-8527, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
