One of the worst things you can do for your HVAC system is to ignore it. You might be under the false impression that it can maintain itself, but when it suddenly breaks down on a hot summer’s day, you’ll want to kick yourself for not taking the right preventive measures when you had the chance.
Says the experts at Fox Family Heating & Air, a Sacramento HVAC Contractor, when it comes to periodic repair and maintenance of your heating and cooling system, you need to have it maintained and cleaned at least once per year. If you manage to do that, there’s no reason your system can function properly for 20 years.
In a recent report by the International Air Quality Association or IAQA, HVAC preventive maintenance is a worthwhile if not wise investment. Here’s why.
Saving Money
Preventive maintenance is a benefit to your bottom line for the following reasons:
- It prevents costly plumbing and heating breakdowns;
- It will reduce your monthly energy bills;
- It will extend your system’s life; and
- You will remain under the protection of your warranty.
In fact, regular HVAC maintenance can reduce the risk of expensive breakdowns by as much as 95 percent. The last thing you’d want to do is drive your vehicle for 50,000 miles without regular oil changes, but you’d be asking for serious trouble. The same theory applies to your HVAC system.
When it comes to cutting down on energy bills, preventive maintenance will ensure that your system is running at peak efficiency. This is said to result in a savings of up to 30 percent, or so states the U.S. Department of Energy.
Improved Air Quality
The EPA recently reported that levels of indoor airborne pollutant levels can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels. In extreme cases they can be 100 times higher. This can be a real burden if one or more members of your family suffer from respiratory problems like asthma or emphysema.
You might not be completely aware of it, but most homes are filled with numerous substances that are unhealthy to breathe. These substances range from mold, pollen, cigarette smoke, pet dander, and dust mites.
Carbon monoxide can also be an issue, if not a deadly issue. This is why every home needs a carbon monoxide detector. It’s also why you need to invest in regular HVAC maintenance.
Increased Comfort
The whole point of a good HVAC system is to keep you in comfort during every season. A regular maintenance routine will help your system distribute cool or warm air more steadily and evenly. It will also lessen the chance that you’ll return from work during the winter to find your vents are blasting cold air.
Says IAQA, it is very easy to take HVAC maintenance for granted, or get accustomed to a particular room being too cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Maintenance that’s preventive in nature, like cleaning your ductwork, can help ensure that your home cools and heats efficiently and evenly all year long.
Safety
Horror stories are said to abound about a family that took a winter vacation only to come home to a frozen house that’s been severely damaged by frozen pipes that burst. If you should happen to be away from home for an extended period of time and your HVAC system breaks down during a cold snap, the result can be a catastrophic cavalcade of burst pipes, water damage, ruined ceiling tiles and walls, and more. The cost of these repairs will run in the thousands.
But preventative HVAC repair and maintenance will assist in safeguarding you and your entire family against the risk not only of system breakdown during the peak cold and hot seasons, but also from the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. This is an odorless, colorless gas which, when ingested, can be deadly. Says the Centers for Disease Control, exposure to even small amounts of carbon monoxide can result in serious health issues.
Help with the Environment
These days, it’s important to be aware of your green footprint, or lack there-of. But if your HVAC system is well-maintained, it will consume less fuel which is a good thing for a planet that now houses eight billion people.
Homeowners should also be aware of what type of refrigerant is being utilized in their HVAC system. The EPA has been working for years now, trying to phase out certain substances that are proven to damage the environment. HVAC professionals are now required to have an EPA Section 608 Certification. It means they are qualified to know what kind of environmentally sound refrigerant to use and the impact it will have not only on your immediate environment, but the surrounding environment also.
A HVAC system can keep you cozy warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Don’t take this mechanical wonder for granted. Regular repair and maintenance will not only keep the system working smoothly for up to 20 years, but it just might save you and your family’s lives should the potential for a carbon monoxide leak exist.
