It’s time to tune up your furnace as summer-time humidity and temperatures drop and the excellent weather approaches. You don’t want to turn your furnace on when the first cold front blows in only to find it’s not heating correctly.
Every Houston HVAC system needs periodic maintenance to ensure all components work. Regular maintenance reduces the possibility of sudden breakdowns and costly repairs. Keeping the system working correctly also reduces energy usage and lowers utility bills. Some routine maintenance is easy for the homeowner to do. Some tasks, however, are best left to the professionals.
The homeowner can do cleaning filters, one of the most important regular maintenance tasks. Clogged filters make a unit work harder and compromise indoor air quality. Regular cleaning removes allergens, bacteria, mold, and dust. Replace filters as recommended by the manufacturer.
An improperly installed thermostat may cause a unit to run inefficiently or fail to cycle on. Ensure the thermostat is dust-free and level and the cover is fitted correctly. Loose wires and improper calibration can also affect performance. If the thermostat maintains a temperature different from the setting indicated, you may use more energy, increasing your fuel bill.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that a professional check the controls, ventilation system, heat exchanger, and combustion chamber of a furnace to make sure that all components are in good working order: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_maintenance. Proper combustion ensures that dangerous gasses like carbon monoxide do not escape into the living space. Fans, blowers, filters, ducts, and compressors must be free of dust, debris, and environmental contaminants such as mold to operate efficiently. Clogged, damaged, or dirty burners or heat exchangers are fire hazards.
The professional staff at ABC Home & Commercial Services’ Houston branch can schedule an inspection and tune-up for your HVAC to ensure that your system is in ideal working order. Our Preferred Service Plan (PSP) provides two tune-ups each year plus 24-hour emergency service, priority scheduling, and a 15% discount on labor and materials for all repairs—Trust ABC’s expertise for Houston heating and AC repair and maintenance.