Congrats on purchasing your first home! You are undoubtedly thrilled with your investment, although you may feel weighed down by all the new responsibilities. Now that you’re the owner, not the renter, it’s your job to care for all your home’s appliances and systems, including the heating and cooling equipment.
If the only interaction you’ve ever experienced with a furnace or air conditioner is to change the thermostat, you have a lot to learn. Get started with these HVAC system suggestions for brand-new homeowners.
Know the Different Elements of an HVAC System
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Unless you live in a perpetually comfortable climate, your new home likely has this system to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Here are the important parts of an HVAC system:
- Comfort systems, such as an air conditioner, air-source heat pump, furnace, boiler, geothermal heat pump or ductless mini-split, to name a few possibilities.
- Ductwork connected to return and supply registers with regards to air-forced systems like ACs, heat pumps and furnaces.
- Radiators or hot water distribution systems such as boilers.
- Indoor air quality products, such as an air filter, whole-house humidifier, whole-house dehumidifier, air purifier or energy-recovery ventilator.
- Thermostat for indoor comfort control.
Appreciate the Importance of Preventive Maintenance
When you were renting your home, a landlord likely handled any HVAC maintenance tasks such as replacing the air filter. They may or may not have foot the bill for comprehensive heating and cooling inspections.
Now that you’re responsible for this, you can give preventive maintenance the attention it deserves. First, complete these do-it-yourself HVAC maintenance tasks:
- Swap out the air filter every 30 to 90 days.
- Lightly hose down the outdoor unit and pare back vegetation to improve airflow.
- Keep all air registers open to maintain proper system balance.
Then, schedule yearly maintenance for each HVAC unit. Only an experienced professional can perform in-depth tasks like cleaning the furnace burners, recharging the AC refrigerant and measuring air leaks in the ductwork. Anticipate the following advantages when you call a professional to inspect your system every year:
- Energy savings
- Fewer breakdowns
- Smaller repair bills
- Improved home comfort
- Expanded system life span
- Peace of mind
Look Out for Signs of Trouble
Repairing and replacing the HVAC system is the homeowner’s responsibility. Watch for these signals that it’s time to call a heating and cooling contractor:
- Excess noise: Don’t neglect a screeching, rattling, clanking or banging sound. It can be a cry for help from the furnace or air conditioner.
- Comfort or air quality issues: Uneven temperatures, high or low humidity, stuffy rooms and mold-like smells are often tied to faulty HVAC equipment.
- Low energy efficiency: Are your bills unexpectedly on the rise? This can mean your heating and cooling system isn’t running right.
- Old age: Like all mechanical systems, HVAC systems ultimately fail. The typical life span of a furnace or boiler is 15 years, while air conditioners and heat pumps can live about a decade.
Learn More About the HVAC Replacement Process
If a defective furnace or air conditioner can’t be repaired, you’ll need to replace it with an HVAC specialist's help. Here’s how it works:
- Illustrate the problem to the technician and permit them to take a closer look at it more in-depth.
- The tech should identify the problem and recommend possible solutions. A repair might be feasible, but based on the unit’s condition and age, a replacement might be more cost-effective.
- You can acquire numerous opinions and estimates from different contractors if you prefer.
- When you call Golden Seal Service Experts, a residential sales consultant will go over what HVAC system, brand, fuel type and efficiency rating is best for you.
- The tech will then supply you with a written estimate outlining the work needed, the equipment they’ll install and the final cost. You should also be given information about warranty coverage, service plans and financing options.
- Schedule the installation as soon as you pick what system you want. Your contractor will complete everything, like hauling away the old equipment for proper disposal.
- The sales consultant will go over the new system with you, detailing how to use it, addressing any questions and offering all the necessary documentation.
Call Golden Seal Service Experts
If you have concerns about these HVAC system guidelines, feel free to call Golden Seal Service Experts. We emphasize customer education to help you make an informed decision about your heating and cooling system. Our team is experienced in a full array of HVAC services, so turn to us for anything from
furnace maintenance to
AC repair to
heat pump installation. For more info or to ask about an estimate, please
contact your local Golden Seal Service Experts office today.