HVAC system breakdowns during winter are very frustrating, as your family has to endure the cold before a technician completes repairing the system. Fortunately, there proactive steps you can take to avoid these surprises. We will discuss how to prevent your HVAC system in Virginia Beach, VA from breaking down during winter.
1. Change Your Air Filter Often
Before air goes into the HVAC system for heating during winter, it must pass through an air filter. The filter catches impurities in the air to prevent them from entering the HVAC system and contaminating the components. By trapping the pollutants, the air filter also prevents these contaminants from continuing to circulate in your house.
Unfortunately, the same air filter cannot trap contaminants efficiently forever. Failure to change the filter makes the system work harder than usual, trying to draw air through the dirty filter.
Overworking can cause the system to break down. You need to change the filter every month or two to allow air to enter the system freely.
2. Schedule Regular Maintenance Services
Unfortunately, some people only pay attention to their HVAC system when it breaks down. Like your car or any other machine, an HVAC system requires regular tune-ups to keep working efficiently. A maintenance procedure typically involves cleaning and lubricating the system’s parts and fixing loose connections.
A technician will also spot faulty parts and repair or replace them during the maintenance appointment. They will also confirm whether the thermostat sends uninterrupted signals to the HVAC system. The best time to schedule maintenance services is before winter and summer when your system will be running at its peak.
3. Replace Your Old HVAC System
As the years pass by, the efficiency of your HVAC system continues to decrease gradually. This is because its parts wear out over time.
Worn-out parts tend to break down more frequently. To avoid the frustrations associated with inconvenient HVAC interruptions, upgrade to a new system every 10-15 years as ENERGY STAR suggests.
4. Replace Your Improperly Sized System
Some people buy an oversized HVAC system, assuming it will do the job more efficiently. Others buy an undersized system, thinking that it will save on energy costs.
An oversized system turns on and off more frequently, making its components undergo increased strain. On the other hand, an undersized system works without taking breaks, thus increasing the wear and tear of its parts. You’ll also notice some rooms are less comfortable than others.
It is advisable to get a correctly sized system that works in cycles, alleviating undue stress. Request a technician to determine your home’s heating and cooling loads, as these loads will help you select a correctly sized system.
5. Avoid Cranking Up the Thermostat
When you come home to an uncomfortably cold environment, you may crank up the thermostat, assuming that your HVAC system will warm your house quickly. However, setting the thermostat too high doesn’t influence how quickly your HVAC system warms your home.
The practice makes your system work for an extended period, thus increasing the strain on its components. Consider maintaining your normal setting. Better yet, invest in a smart thermostat to set your preferred indoor temperatures before you get home.
6. Look Out for Unusual Signs
Most of the time, HVAC systems don’t just break down suddenly. They display some abnormal behaviors before they stop working.
Identifying these signs allows you to schedule service before it develops into a more complex issue. Some of the things you should look out for include weird sounds, strange smells, constantly running, short cycling and uneven temperature distribution.
7. Pay Attention to the Outdoor Unit
If you use a heat pump to warm your home, the system has an outdoor unit that absorbs heat from the environment and brings it into your home. If you plant vegetation too close around this component, it will not have sufficient airflow.
As a result, your heat pump works for an extended period to draw heat from the environment. Remove any plantings or debris around the outdoor component to allow unobstructed airflow.
Adopting these strategies will allow your system to operate efficiently all winter. Call Climatemakers of VA for quality heating services whenever you need a professional technician for your system. Our team is always committed to going above and beyond to help our clients.
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