Beginners Guide for Homeowners to Safely Maintain their HVAC System

Maintaining your HVAC system protects not just the machines but also the occupants of your building from the inconvenience and poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and you from a complaint.

There are many approaches to ensure that indoor air quality is maintained at an acceptable level:

• Monitor the ducts and air vents. You can determine if mold or any other pollutants are invading your room through them.
• Beware of stinky smells.
• Maintain contact with tenants/occupants and invite them to engage in air quality assessments.

Along with improving IAQ, regular maintenance will help you save money on water bills and equipment repair. Consider the following advice for HVAC repair and protection. If you don’t need professional help for HVAC and you are fine with doing it yourself, we have found some tools that you should definitely look for to ease your maintenance procedures. Here’s the link:

Maintenance

 So, without further ado, let’s start with maintenance procedures!

Replacing Filters

Filters can be changed daily. After a couple of months, conduct periodic inspections and then determine how often they need to be replaced depending on what you see.

The simplest way to increase the performance of your HVAC device is to change the air purifiers regularly. Changing the air filter around 60–90 days is adequate for the majority of homeowners. Replace the filters every 30 to 60 days if any of the members of the family have allergies or if you have several pets.

Verify the dimensions of the new air filter to ensure it is the correct size for your HVAC device. Select a filter with a “minimum efficiency reporting value” (MERV) of seven to twelve. The greater the MERV score, the more contaminants are removed and the more productivity is gained.

Inspect the Fan, Bearings, and Belts

Even though bearing, fan, and belt action have no direct effect on IAQ, these components should be inspected as part of the preventive maintenance plan. Cleaning the blades of a small fan may take a couple of hours; cleaning larger wings, especially those with several wheels on one shaft, may take an extended period.

Verify that the fan motors are not going in the wrong direction. This might not be apparent since fans that are operating backward will still provide movement. This dilemma can be avoided by clearly labeling the fan casing, pulleys, engine, and wires.

If self-lubricating mechanisms on fans malfunction, the bearing cassette must be replaced. Examine the bearing for excessive noise, vibration, or fire. Greased ball bearings are sometimes present in packaged units. Their most prevalent issue is excessive grease, which can be almost as harmful as insufficient grease.

Belts should be well aligned to avoid corrosion. Maintain sufficient tension; slipping belts trigger torque loss or rapid wear. Too-tight belts place an abnormal strain on the engine and shaft bearings, resulting in breakage.

Examine the Area Around the Air Intake

Water may accumulate around air handlers, causing mold. Mold growth around the air intake could result in spores being drawn into the air conditioning system and carried into your house. Examine the area around the air handler for stagnant water.

Keep an eye out for Air Leaks

Your HVAC device is built to ventilate your house and maintain a healthy indoor environment 24 hours a day. Nevertheless, the majority of homes have minute holes and leaks that cause air to seep in and out. If you do not fix these leaks, your machine will have to work overtime to maintain a safe temperature in your house.

Switch off the HVAC machine and lock the windows to check for leakage. Then ignite some incense and position it near areas prone to leaks, such as baseboards, doors, screens, and sockets. If the smoke begins to flow into or away from these locations rather than upward, you’ve discovered an air leak. Apply weatherstripping to openings and use caulk in minor gaps to cover them.

Annual inspections should include searching for and repairing air holes, replacing latches or screws, and fixing or installing gaskets. Reliability of the cabinet and ductwork is critical, mainly on the supply-air side, where extreme pressure will push air out of a tiny gap.

According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), supply and return air ducts should be inspected after two years (once per year in hospitals). If dirt is found, vacuum the ducts.

Configure the Thermostat

Then adjust your thermostat for the upcoming season. Range it between 76 and 78 degrees in the summer if your family is usually present and awake. When you are usually out of the house or sleeping, raise the temperature by 8–10 degrees. In the winter, set the thermostat to 68 degrees when you are awake and at home. At night and during the workday, lower the temperature.

Through following these instructions, you will guarantee that your HVAC device is only enabled when absolutely appropriate. That way, you can keep from overuse and maximize its performance.

Damper Cleaning and Adjustment

Incorrect damper function is among the most common issues with HVAC machinery. It can have a detrimental impact on IAQ, which raises energy consumption.

When dampers are installed correctly, they prevent the compressor from operating if the outside ambient temperature is less than around 60 degrees F. They get stuck if they are not kept clean and lubricated, preventing free cooling or overloading the condenser with hot outside air.

Clean and lubricate both movable surfaces. Following that, the damper should be operated over the whole length. After that, you can verify the setpoint.

Conduct Inspection of the Carbon Monoxide Detector

Your HVAC machine will rarely emit carbon monoxide. However, if the heating device fails or starts to malfunction, there is a slim chance that it will release this toxic gas.

Since carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled, it requires a detector to warn you of its existence. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on each floor of your house, and the batteries should be replaced frequently. Every six months, inspect them to ensure they are operating properly.

Conclusion

When your HVAC device is operating at peak efficiency, it’s fair to assume that it needs no maintenance or repairs.  However, any HVAC device should be serviced on a regular basis, at the very least once per year.