HVAC Repair Tips for Homeowners

Most homeowners look forward to the cooler weeks of the year after a scorching summer. You will have to use your heating system at some point, and that is when things will get heated up. Here are some tips to follow before turning on your furnace for the current season. Turn on your pilot light, since your heating unit has not been running for a while, your pilot light may need to be re-lit. If you don’t know how to do this yourself or want to have your unit evaluated at the same time, call a qualified worker, and make sure you hire a qualified worker. If you want your heating system to run efficiently and effectively for as long as possible, it must be inspected properly. A qualified worker should inspect the proposal once a year to ensure this is happening. Replace or scrub the air filter, because as your system’s air filter gets dirty, it will not clean properly and could start releasing contaminants into your home. This can be prevented by cleaning or replacing the air filter every 2-3 weeks, depending on how suddenly it clogs. Make the switch to a better temperature control, as programmable temperature controls allow you to control the mornings and times when your heating and A/C unit operates. Manual temperature controls are a thing of the past and with newer units, wifi control and weather updates are available on several of these. Make sure your alarms are working and there should be at least one carbon monoxide alarm per story in your home, along with multiple smoke alarms. Each one can be tested by a small button on the front and batteries can be replaced if necessary.

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It makes sense to close heating and A/C registers when indoor temperature control becomes an issue.

Keep conditioned air out of rooms where you do not need it to keep the rest of the house comfortable and save money by not wasting unwanted heating and cooling.

But, it’s not that simple, as heating, A/C units, and ductwork systems are designed to supply a certain volume of air to each room based on its square footage. One or more registers can affect that careful equilibrium and unintended consequences can occur, as heating and A/C systems do not know whether all registers are open. As long as the temperature control is set, it produces the same amount of heated or cooled air and consumes the same amount of energy. Each room’s supply air volume is controlled by internal dampers inside the branch ducts. It ensures consistent hot and cold temperatures regardless of whether a room is near or far from the unit’s blower. When one or more supply registers are closed, airflow balance and hot and cold temperatures are disrupted and rooms near the blower may acquire too much airflow, while rooms far away may not get enough. The supply registers may be closed to stop airflow, however the return registers remain open. Even without supply air, the return unit draws air out of the room. This discrepancy depressurizes the room and/or section of the house and a depressurized room draws unfiltered freezing or overheated outdoor air into the room through small structural cracks and gaps. This infiltrating air destabilizes room temperature and can degrade air quality. Closing supply vents increases static pressure inside the supply ductwork which in turn stresses the unit’s blower, potentially leading to shorter repair life of that component.

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With the change in seasons come current threats to your heating and A/C system.

• One such threat comes in the form of fallen leaves during autumn.

It’s hard to imagine that fallen foliage could give your central heating and A/C unit so much trouble, however it can happen if you’re not diligent about outdoor heating and A/C equipment protection and cleaning. Your heating and A/C system’s outdoor unit, which contains the condenser coil and compressor, is used for expelling latent heat collected from inside your home. To accomplish this, your outdoor system uses a powerful fan to draw cool air from the bottom and sides of the unit, which it then uses to disperse overheated air through the top of the compressor. With this setup, it’s simple to see how fallen leaves can impact your heating and A/C system. Leaves that pile up at the bottom of the equipment can choke off crucial airflow, making it difficult for your heating and A/C unit to disperse latent heat. Such blockages can also cause a noticeable drop in heating and A/C efficiency, making your equipment use more energy because of declining levels of performance. Airflow blockages caused by fallen leaves can even damage portions of your heating and A/C system, including the condenser coil and air conditioner compressor. Outdoor heating and A/C equipment protection is essential for keeping your home’s heating and cooling unit in great shape this fall. Fortunately, there are plenty of proactive steps you can take to keep your equipment safe. You can properly rake your yard of fallen leaves and other debris, and keep raked leaves bagged up to prevent the wind from blowing them everywhere. Thoroughly inspect and scrub your outdoor heating and A/C compressor and use compressed air to blow out any leaves and debris found within. Trim back overhanging limbs to keep leaves from falling through the fan vent. Also, use a heating and A/C cover to protect your equipment when it is not in use.

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Despite the growing number of residential replacements, ductless technology remains a myth. Ductless mini-split heat pumps account for about 10 to 12 percent of heating and A/C market share in several states. Ductless systems are a beautiful option for cooling single rooms or limited areas in your house without the need for labor-intensive and expensive ductwork. One myth about ductless systems is that they are noisy, but with this year’s technology, not at all. The indoor component of mini splits currently on the market uses a variable speed blower and the advanced system runs at a lower speed and produces almost no noise. Compared to single-speed on/off fans, the blower makes less noise since it runs almost continuously. Additionally, it circulates air more to prevent temperature swings in the home. There are also some people who recognize that the service requirements are too demanding, yet this is not an issue. The fact is, a ductless mini-split heat pump imposes no more upkeep requirements than a standard central heating and air conditioner. The basics are the same; professional preventive service at the outset of the heating and cooling seasons, then standard monthly air filter changes. Another misconception about ductless systems is that they have a shorter shelf life. In fact, it’s the opposite, ductless technology is more efficient and offers less wear-and-tear than conventional systems. Typical window units have a lifespan of 12 years, and central cooling systems and furnaces have a combined lifespan of 14 years. A ductless mini-split has a lifespan of 15 years or more. The indoor cooling capabilities of ductless systems are often underestimated and are thought to be expensive. In a mini-split, the indoor coil and blower are housed in an inconspicuous, low-profile system mounted on a wall. An option of stylish housings are available to make the equipment conform with your existing decor.

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