You don’t like paying for someone else to complete a job you could finish yourself. Some tasks, however, are simply better left to professionals. Homeowners in Beaumont, Texas, who know the difference between DIY and professional HVAC maintenance can care for and enhance their living space. Here’s how.
What Maintenance Can You Perform?
Most of the maintenance that homeowners can take on without help is more indirect than the maintenance performed by professionals. Your role is to foster habits that assist your HVAC system, even if you’re not the one directly fixing it. Without professional help, you can:
- Change air filters. This may be the only maintenance you can perform directly on your HVAC unit. Over time, the air filter in your HVAC system becomes clogged with dust and debris, which reduces indoor air quality and HVAC energy efficiency. Remove your air filter and replace it once a month.
- Seal your home. Your air conditioner, as well as your utility costs and your comfort, all suffer at the hands of air leaks in your home. Gaps in your thermal envelope allow cool, conditioned air to escape and warm air to enter. Look for visible air leaks around windows and doors, and search for less visible leaks by looking for excess dirt and dust in your living space. Seal gaps around your windows with caulk, and close leaks around your doors with weatherstripping.
- Clean your living space. It may not be your idea of an exciting DIY project, but keeping your home clean improves your HVAC efficiency, which helps prevent problems. Clean regularly, especially around HVAC vents and heat registers. You should also clear debris around your outdoor condenser unit.
What Maintenance Should You Leave to Pros?
While you can take on more indirect HVAC maintenance, professionals have the experience and tools necessary to handle the specialized tasks that directly affect your system. You should allow your local HVAC technician to:
- Tighten electrical connections. For your own safety, you should never mess with electricity. If you find a loose wire, or if power seems to never make its way to your unit, contact your technician to repair loose and broken connections. Professionals can also measure voltage if necessary.
- Calibrate your thermostat. Your thermostat is an invaluable part of your HVAC system, and it should be properly calibrated during every season. Your HVAC technician can complete this calibration and recommend any necessary thermostat repairs or replacement.
- Inspect your condensate drain. Your cooling system may produce excess moisture that can collect in your condensate drain. Such blockages can cause water damage to your system. HVAC professionals can clean that condensate drain.
- Replace components. Sometimes your system needs a broken or faulty component replaced. Professionals can replace components and ensure that everything is working efficiently.
- Check system controls. For your safety, technicians can check your system controls regularly.
- Clean your system. While you can clean around your unit, you shouldn’t clean your actual system on your own. Professionals can clean dust and debris out of your system and improve energy efficiency.
Why Trust Pros with Most of Your HVAC Maintenance?
Why not simply go to YouTube and learn how to complete these professional maintenance tasks on your own? Professional HVAC technicians bring experience, skill and specific tools to your home, which will save you time and money and guarantee your safety. Investing in professional HVAC maintenance will also save you money in the long run. When you schedule regular maintenance appointments, you’re likely to catch minor issues before they become expensive repairs. Professional maintenance also helps your system run more efficiently, which will put more money from utility costs back into your wallet.
Most importantly, trusting your maintenance to an HVAC professional ensures your safety. One false move when wiring or replacing a component can result in injury. HVAC technicians know how to complete their jobs without harm.
We always appreciate a handy homeowner who can take care of his or her HVAC system, but you don’t need to repair your HVAC system on your own to have greater comfort and savings. To see what professional maintenance can do for you, call Thermacon Service Company, Inc. at 866-797-1535.
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