Importance of Seasonal HVAC Maintenance

Your air conditioning unit is more than just a means to  maintain comfort levels inside your home. It’s also an investment in  your home as well as a life-saving tool. Regular maintenance on your  HVAC system will ensure that you get the most out of your investment. Here are a few reasons why regular maintenance is vital to  your health and the health of your HVAC system.

Regular  inspections and seasonal HVAC maintenance can help you save money on  costly repair. Your HVAC technician is trained to spot problems before  they happen. For example, your technician will always check the amount  of electricity running through your unit using a device called a  multimeter. If volt measurements aren’t within a healthy range for your  specific unit, it could be a sign of faulty wiring. A reading that’s too  high means that your unit is wasting energy; this will reflect in  higher monthly energy bills. Regular inspections can help spot and treat  problems like this before they become a more serious (and expensive)  problem.

Regular maintenance and upkeep will increase  the longevity of your unit. A good quality HVAC should last you 10-15  years if you take care of it. Seasonal maintenance involves cleaning  your outside unit of outdoor debris like lawn clippings and dead leaves.  Buildup inside the unit can force your unit to work harder than it  needs to. For the indoor unit, flushing the condensation lines is also  part of regular maintenance. A flush clears the lines of mold and  mildew.

Besides maintain personal comfort levels,  seasonal maintenance can actually prevent a possible life-threatening  situation. Every winter, thousands of people die due to in-home  hypothermia. This can happen when your heating unit fails to heat your  home adequately or stops unexpectedly in the middle of a cold, winter’s  night. When your heating element fails, you’re also more susceptible to  cold-related illnesses like the flu or pneumonia. During the summer  months, a broken air conditioner can increase your risk of heat-stroke  and dehydration.

This article originally appeared on Comfort Solutions