As a mindful homeowner who never wants to confront the nasty situation dealing with a busted HVAC system, you’ve got to stay on top of looking after your HVAC system. As a new homeowner, this can sound like a daunting task at first. Fortunately, we’ve been able to pull together a quick and comprehensive collection of HVAC tips that can serve any new homeowner well.
As long as you keep these in your back pocket, you won’t have to worry about dealing with an air conditioner that’s providing minimal airflow or a furnace that’s on the fritz and doing nothing to warm up your home that feels more like an ice cave. So, let’s dive into some HVAC tips that you’ll need as a new homeowner.
1. Clean the HVAC system’s condenser or heat pump.
Outdoor air conditioners and heat pumps work their mechanical butts off to ensure that your home has high-quality cold or hot air. All this work ends up translating to quite the hefty accumulation of dirt, dust, and other grime. So, you can help your HVAC system’s condenser or heat pump do their jobs more effectively by running some regular maintenance on them yourself. You can accomplish this maintenance by using a garden hose on the condenser or heat pump fins and just making sure that you’re actually removing all that unwanted junk.
2. Check the air filter.
The amount of turmoil that a stuffed-up air filter can cause in your home is almost impressive in its own right. A clogged air filter will result in poor airflow, higher energy costs, and even pricey repairs if you don’t address it as soon as possible. When it comes to taking care of your air filter, your best course of action is to vacuum it and/or run a wet cloth over it monthly. As for when it’s best actually to swap out your air filter, the best timing or that is 1-3 months.
You can always have an HVAC technician come through your home to offer a second, professionally trained opinion on whether or not you need to swap out your air filter that frequently. Having a professional HVAC technician come through your home is definitely one of those indispensable HVAC maintenance tips for homeowners. Also, if you’re someone who is plagued by the stuffed-up existence that is having allergies, you’d do well to look into a HEPA or hypoallergenic filter. Your sinuses will thank you a thousand times over again.
3. Keep your outdoor unit area cleared out.
Your outdoor unit is continually exposed to whatever the world decides to throw its way. If you have an outdoor unit that’s encircled by trees and other vegetation, you must regularly make sure that the HVAC system’s bubble is being well respected. You’ll want to make sure that no scrubs/branches are any closer than a few feet away. The risk that you run with not properly clearing out your outdoor unit’s area is its ability to get its exhaust air out could be compromised. Also, branches and leaves can mess with your outdoor unit’s fan, which is the last thing you want to deal with.
4. Invest in a smart AC controller.
We truly live in a technologically blessed era. So much of the time, it seems like we’re becoming more and more of a technologically infused society, and that technology itself wants to make our lives easier. In the case of a smart AC controller, this couldn’t ring truer. A smart AC controller will allow you to keep a close eye on your usage history, and you’ll even be able to configure it so that you receive alerts every time your AC may need a filter status cleaning. Some thermostats will also even determine if your AC isn’t performing at an optimal level or if your air quality isn’t in good shape.
And with that, we’ve provided a quick yet highly effective rundown of HVAC tips that you should absolutely take with you as you carry on down the exciting and fulfilling road of being a new homeowner. Your home should be your safe space. You should never be weighed down by troubling thoughts about whether or not “today” is the day that your HVAC system decides to transition to the afterlife, especially if you’re muddling through the hot and muggy summer months. With some mindful HVAC maintenance, you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of your unit and even reduce that utility bill in the process.