What Are HVAC Basics Every Homeowner Should Know?

Apr 22, 2022 | DIY, Blog, HVAC, Maintenance, OH, Ohio, Spring, Xenia

Unless you’ve sought a career in the industry, the subject matter of HVAC (aka Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) may appear uninteresting and difficult. At Xenia Heating & Air, we want to make things more apparent and exciting for you. So whether nuzzling up to rewatch your favorite show or settling down to read in your past time, we aim to provide quality service to give comfort while you do whatever you enjoy doing within your home. For now, we will communicate more on how to maintain your residential HVAC system, what to do when pieces or parts are faulty, and what preventative maintenance can offer you.

What is the Importance of HVAC System Maintenance?

The most worthwhile HVAC maintenance you can gift your home is preventative. By being proactive, you’re setting forth efforts that will keep the prevention of future issues from occurring. Some things that can go askew with your HVAC include leaks, cold or hot air distribution, and corrosion. Dirty coils and clogged filters can also be a cause for concern, so staying on top of your maintenance duties year after year will prove essential. 

First, always maintain the following: assure areas around both indoor and outdoor HVAC parts are free of blockages and debris (2 feet surrounding) and invest in a high-efficiency air filter, switching them out as required. Then, every month, inspect your A/C refrigerant lines uniting your outdoor A/C to your system’s indoor evaporator coil for leaks. Next, when summer emerges, please do yourself a favor and turn the water off the furnace humidifier. However, don’t forget to turn it back on again in the fall. 

Lastly, these are the tasks you should achieve once a year: 

  • Change the batteries in all carbon monoxide detectors
  • Lubricate your HVAC, and swap out its fan belt if it’s not efficiently operating
  • Clean your A/C condensation drain line with bleach
  • Check that your outdoor A/C unit is standing on level ground

Here at Xenia Heating & Air, we recommend signing up for a preventative maintenance plan to help you find peace in knowing your HVAC system is monitored effectively. The life expectancy of an HVAC system is 10 to 25 years. How you uphold that system will be the difference in whether it survives nearer to 10 or 25 years.

What If Your HVAC System is Dysfunctional?

As we near warmer seasons, ensuring your A/C is appropriately performing is paramount. However, what should you do if you give your A/C a seasonal test run and it is inadequate? First thing’s first, make sure the problem isn’t your furnace. Next, put your thermostat to A/C mode and decrease the temperature setting. If the furnace fan powers on, the concern is not with the furnace. If the fan doesn’t operate, see if resetting the circuit breaker to your furnace makes a difference. Then, if the fan still doesn’t kick on, it is time to call an expert. Repairing the problem can be rather tricky, but we would joyfully assist you in any way possible!

When to Reach Out to an HVAC Professional?

An HVAC professional will help secure that your HVAC unit is as energy-efficient as possible. It’s time to call the experts when:

  • Your energy bill is excessively high
  • Your thermostat is alerting you of surplus humidity or water
  • You desire to save money in the long run on repair costs 
  • Your indoor air quality is out of sorts
  • A faulty part needs fixing
  • A routine maintenance appointment requests scheduling
  • A strange noise demands inspection
  • Something reeks like it’s burning
  • You want to grow the lifespan of your air conditioner

Nevertheless, unless you have the schooling of someone skilled in HVAC, even if you are crafty and intuitive, it will continue to be in your best interest as a homeowner to talk with a specialist before acting further when trouble is afoot with your HVAC system. It will be optimal if you don’t have to experience the needless mishaps of an ineffective go at fixing your system alone. So allow us to offer you ease from your problems. Call Xenia Heating & Air today at (937) 708-8451, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!