Home and business HVAC units are an essential component of an owner’s maintenance checklist. Summers and winters without air conditioning or heat are unlivable in many areas of the country. To ensure heat and air conditioning are available to you at the flick of switch, preventative maintenance is a necessity.
Read more for ideas of what tasks should be planned on your HVAC preventative maintenance checklist.
Preventative Maintenance for your HVAC Units
HVAC preventative maintenance should be scheduled or performed on your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units before they stop working. The goal is to prevent or avoid any malfunctions or system breakdowns before they can occur.
Not only does preventative maintenance work to keep your equipment operating, but it also helps ensure that it runs efficiently. This will reduce wear and tear on your HVAC units, decrease your energy consumption, and extend the longevity of your equipment.
Monthly Checklist
Every month, you should have on your to-do list the following tasks –
Inspect your HVAC Units
Many homeowners do this on a daily or weekly basis. As part of your cleaning routine, make sure that your vents are not blocked with furniture or other household items. During the air conditioning season, inspect around your outside units. As plants grow and leaves and other debris blow around, the space around your HVAC needs to be cleaned.
Change your Air Filters
Air filters remove dirty particles from the air before they flow through your HVAC units. Over time, the filters become clogged and can no longer perform their function. Check with your qualified and trained HVAC technician on the schedule that you should follow to remove old filters and replace them with new ones.
Check your Settings & Thermostat
At least monthly, review the temperature settings of your HVAC unit. Adjust the high and low settings based on the upcoming weather in your area. Additionally, keep track of the date when you inserted new batteries. Change the batteries before they no longer work.
Spring To Do List
Each spring, before the height of the air conditioning season, perform the following tasks to ensure that your home remains cool.
- Contact your HVAC provider and schedule an annual tune-up on your air conditioners.
- Inspect all your electrical connections.
- To prevent issues with your drain lines, clean the condensate.
- Clean the evaporator coils.
- Monitor your refrigerant levels.
- Perform your other monthly tasks.
Fall Checklist
As the amount of sunlight diminishes each day, you need to prepare for colder days.
- Call your HVAC professional and schedule an inspection and tune-up on your heating system.
- When you no longer need your air conditioner, cover the top of the outside unit with a piece of plywood.
- Clean the blower assembly.
Annual To Do List
- Review with your HVAC professional what needs to be repaired from their annual inspections.
- Clean and inspect your ductwork.
- Monitor smells to prevent any dampness.
- Reprogram your thermostat for the change of the seasons.
