One area of your home maintenance that is very important but often overlooked is your heating and cooling system. When you need this system, you want to be sure that it’s up and ready to work for you. However, if you neglect the maintenance of your heating and cooling systems, they likely won’t be prepared for when you finally turn them on during the year. So to help your heating and cooling systems be ready no matter when you need to use them, here are three things you can do to take better care of your home’s HVAC system.
Get The Right Filter
To keep your systems moving and operating efficiently, you’ve got to use the right filter for your system. According to Douglas Trattner, a contributor to HouseLogic.com, using a high-efficiency, pleated air filter is going to be the best choice for most systems. This type of filter will help keep out dust and other particles from your system and your home. And with these types of filters, you can often go a little longer before you need to replace them. However, to be on the safe side, Trattner shares that you should be replacing your high-efficiency air filter at least every 90 days, especially if you live in a pollen-ridden area or have pets.
Strategically Schedule Service Calls
Regardless of where you live or what service center you use, strategically planning when to make and schedule your service calls can make a world of difference for the maintenance of your heating and cooling systems. For this reason, HGTV recommends scheduling your service will businesses like AEP Electrical and Refrigeration before the weather starts changing too drastically. If you wait too long into the new season, the business you use could be slammed with a lot of other maintenance orders, which could mean you won’t be getting the time and attention that your system needs. So to ensure you’re making the most of your scheduled services, plan to have this done a little earlier than you might need it.
Keep It Clean
Having a dirty or dusty system can wreak havoc with your heating and cooling unit. According to Walter Curtis, a contributor to How Stuff Works, not only can a dirty system drain your efficiency and waste whatever fuel is being used, but it can also harm the actual components of your physical system. And if this happens, you could be in for a pretty hefty repair or replacement. So to keep this from happening to you, do all you can to keep your system clean, both inside and out.
If you know your heating and cooling system needs a little more TLC, use the tips mentioned above to help you find ways to take better care of this area of your home.
