We all know that HVAC maintenance is very important. We know this because we are told this.
And so, we dutifully find a service company that can come and perform the necessary cleaning and checks, pay them the recurring fee, and then let them in to come and make the changes.
They then go to work, rummage around a bit and make some noise, then bill you for the trouble.
What were they actually doing in there? What exactly are you paying for?
In this post, we’re going to try and demystify the strange world of HVAC maintenance!
What is HVAC Maintenance?
HVAC maintenance simply means that a company will visit your home or office once or twice a year in order to check your heating systems and ensure that they’re working as well as possible. This way, you can keep your systems running as efficiently as possible and also avoid a breakdown right at a time when it would be most inconvenient.
Getting regular maintenance will:
- Save you money on expensive repairs
- Keeping your home at optimum temperature
- Save you money on utility bills by ensuring that everything is running efficiently
- Protect your family from sleeping in the cold
- Avoid damage to your property
- Protect your investment
Heating and cooling is incredibly important in any property not only for your comfort but also for your health, for the building itself and for you to be able to get on with the important things in your life.
Losing your heating is highly inconvenient at the best of times but it’s also bad for your health and your home. It’s bad for your home because it encourages condensation and damp, which can end up causing serious structural damage. It also means you’ll face a big electricity bill when you later try and heat your home and walls up past dew-point temperature.
Living in a cold property is also very bad for your health and if you are ill or elderly, it can even be very dangerous. Don’t wait for something to go wrong and then try and fix it, instead make sure to have regular maintenance done on your heating system so that you can be sure it will be warm and safe all year round!
Even if nothing actually goes wrong with your heating and cooling, a lack of maintenance can negatively impact efficiency, meaning it costs more to run and meaning that it will be worse for the environment. Plus, catching a fault early on can help to avoid a more expensive breakdown further down the line.
That’s why regular maintenance is far preferable to waiting until repairs are necessary.
Specific Jobs
Over time though, like any system, HVAC systems will tend to degrade. They run pretty much 24/7 and during this time they are subject to changing temperatures, ambient moisture, and plenty of dust.
Thus, a HVAC maintenance teams job includes but is not limited to:
- Cleaning ducts
- Cleaning vents and filters
- Checking and replacing motors
- Test for carbon monoxide leaks
- Clean burner assemblies
- Inspect your filtration systems
- Adjust the blower components
- Perform safety checks
- Tighten electrical connections
- Check flue draft
- Check combustion
- Inspect vent piping
- Replacing motors and other parts that are showing signs of wear
- Fixing leaks and cracks that can negatively affect efficiency
In short, there are a lot of jobs encompassed in HVAC maintenance. And with that in mind, it’s a very good idea to let them get to work!
