The recommended maintenance schedule for an HVAC system is long, but for good reason. By following the industry’s standard of upkeep, you can protect both your investment and the people your system serves. Proper maintenance will help lower your utility costs, increase the service life of the equipment (which also lowers replacement and repair costs too), and create a cleaner, safer environment. Knowing when and how to perform routine work on though can be confusing. Here is a quick reference guide to help you keep your system in peak performance condition.

From the get-go, select the best quality air filter. What you are looking for is the highest capacity filter. Generally a rating of 11 or more is best. Also the material can make a significant difference. Filters that utilize cotton or other fibers might be more costly but will further reduce air allergens. Depending on the volume, your HVAC filters should be replaced at least every 6 months.

Once or twice a year you should clean the evaporator and condenser coils. Combined, these two coils provide the most likely places for your HVAC to become contaminated either with mold or dirt. Cleaning them both at the same time, instead of cleaning them on separate occasions, will provide for the best energy efficiency. If allowed to grow mold for too long, cleaning becomes increasingly difficult and will lead to larger, more costly remediation efforts.

Just as important as the cleaning, coils should be treated afterwards. This will inhibit the future growth of mold.

At least twice a year inspect the areas around air intakes. Water likes to pool around air handles especially those areas on the roof. Where there is water, there will be mold. These areas around the intakes can allow spores to make their way into the system. The outside of the equipment is just as important to keep clean as the inside. And twice a year you should inspect the fan, bearings and belts. A quick preventative check will save you costly repairs in the future.

Once a year a full inventory of the housing should be conducted and replacement of any missing screws or latches should be executed. You should also check for any air leaks, which can significantly damage the cabinet or ducts over time because pressure will eventually cause larger cracks through these leaks.

Also, once a year the dampers should be adjusted and cleaned. This is one of the most overlooked maintenance issues that can negatively affect the air quality and utility costs of an HVAC system. Servicing should include lubricating all movable surfaces to ensure they function properly.

Finally, clean the air ducts entirely at a minimum of every two years. If you are operating a heavy-load HVAC system, you may want to consider doing this more frequently. While you can do most of this routine maintenance, a full cleaning should be the job of a professional contractor.

Remember it always costs less to maintain your equipment than it does to wait until repairs and replacements are necessary. Set a maintenance schedule and stick to it.

To learn more about HVAC systems visits Panorama City Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning. If you are wondering what separates our company from our competition, and other cleaning companies in Panorama City, take a minute to run though our site, or if you would rather give us a call, we would appreciate that too.

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