7 Ways To Make Your HVAC System Last Longer & When It Should Be Replaced
HVAC is the most common term that refers to Heating, ventilation, Air conditioning of a household. An HVAC system is used for moving air indoor and outdoor for both heating and cooling purposes. This system is responsible for keeping your house cold during summers and warm during winters. An HVAC system also keeps the air fresh inside the house. The overall purpose of an HVAC system is to maintain a comfortable living environment inside the house.
The average lifespan of an HVAC system is around 12 to 15 years. But it can be increased by a few years if maintained properly. The Best HVAC Repair in Orange County can provide the best repairing and maintenance service for your HVAC system.
Replacing the entire HVAC system is one of the costlier replacements you will ever bear for your house. For that reason, you will surely want to utilize the existing one as many years as possible.
Read also: 5 Causes Your Heat Pump Isn’t Cooling Your House
Your HVAC system indeed requires timely maintenance and repairs to serve long. Top HVAC Companies In Orange County can help you maintain your HVAC systems last longer. Here I am going to mention 7 ways you can keep the HVAC system of your house young and healthy for a long time.
Ways to increase the lifespan of an HVAC system
- Two regular checkups every year: HVAC systems don’t require much high maintenance but that does not mean it does not require maintenance at all. Routine maintenance is very important. There are different types of equipment like air conditioners and furnaces that require proper checkups and tune-ups every single year.
My recommendation suggests that you should schedule the air conditioning service after winters and the furnaces service after summer. Tuneups come with a proper inspection, cleaning of the condenser, lubrication of the flexible parts, replacements of the filters, and many other tasks that ensure the overall HVAC system is working properly.
These regular checkups will catch if anything is fishy in the system and will take action immediately. That will ultimately save the whole system from any upcoming severe damage.
- Clean and change filters periodically: Filters are the component that gets dirty the most. Your HVAC technician will change the filters twice a year during regular checkups but that is not enough.
If your house has pets or it is closer to a construction site, then you need to clean the filters more often. The filters block most of the air-borne bacterias, pollen fibers, dust, etc.
Most of the houses use 30-day disposable fiberglass that needs to be cleaned weekly and should be changed after a month of use. Dirty filters hamper the efficiency of the overall HVAC system. And the HVAC system has to put in extra effort to circulate clean air throughout the house. Clean filters will make the HVAC work more efficiently and maintain a healthy life.
- Check-up and clean the condenser: You will find the condenser of your HVAC system outside of the house somewhere. It can be damaged by any external elements like hail or debris blown by air. Condensers especially get damaged by them during heavy storms. So after every storm, you must go and check if the condenser is all right.
While you are checking up, you should clean all the dust, leaves, weeds it has accumulated over the weeks and let the system breathe properly. If you witness any major damage, contact the HVAC maintenance provider immediately.
- Make use of the auto fan settings: Most of the HVAC systems contain two fan settings. One is ‘ON’ while the other is ‘AUTO’. Some systems also have dual-speed fans that offer energy-efficient fan settings for both the heating and cooling process.
The ‘ON’ settings order the fan inside to run constantly while the ‘AUTO’ settings allow the fan to turn off when the system is not heating or cooling.
Though the ‘ON’ settings of the fan offer multiple benefits like it traps more dust and allergens that might cause dust allergies and other respiratory problems to the members inside the house and maintains the air quality. But the main disadvantage of this setting is It forces the system to work continuously. Continuous workload will reduce the lifespan of the overall HVAC system. It requires some rest which ‘AUTO’ settings surely provide and keep the system safe from overload.
- Check on your home insulation and upgrade if required: You need to keep in mind that the less effort the HVAC has to put in, the more likely it will last and serve longer. To reduce the workload of the HVAC system, insulation plays an important part. It reduces the need for the HVAC system to run constantly.
The attic is the most important area to have sufficient insulation as it is the place that leaks the hot and cold air outside. The more insulation you have in your house, the better it is. You can engage with the Top HVAC Companies In Orange County and consult with them. They will help you upgrade the insulation in your home.
- Install a smart thermostat in your home: Smart thermostats come with the latest technology that can be easily programmed and operated from anywhere with the help of a smartphone. Smart thermostats help the user to set and adjust different temperatures for different timeframes. Some models automatically adjust themselves after looking at your HVAC adjustments for a few days. Smart and automatic adjustments will help you use the HVAC system more efficiently. Smart adjustments will properly utilize the HVAC system and provide it the rest when required. Thus your bill will reduce and the lifespan of your HVAC system will increase.
- Find other ways of heating and cooling and reduce the burden on the HVAC system: If you want to keep the HVAC system of your house, you need to reduce dependency on it gradually. You can use alternative ways of cooling your house during summers like using Ceiling fans. You can also use reflective shades to stop harsh sunlight from entering your home. This will keep your house cool.
In the winter, what you can do is open the shades and let the warm rays of the sun enter your house. This will keep your house warm during the day. And also use sweaters and jackets to avoid the cold. Only use HVAC when it is necessary. It will ultimately reduce your dependency on HVAC. Which will result in a long life expectancy of the HVAC.
When will the HVAC system be replaced?
You do not know when it is the right time to replace the HVAC system. That is why you need your HVAC system to get regularly checked by the Best HVAC Repair in Orange County. If your HVAC system is over 10 to 12 years old, or your electricity bill keeps increasing due to the lack of efficiency of the system, or the repair costs are nearly half of installing a new one. Then you should consider buying a new AC. You will notice sooner or later when your system is failing to provide a comfortable temperature anymore, then it is time to replace it with a new one. Engage with top Top HVAC Companies In Orange County to purchase the best HVAC system according to your budget.