One of the most important things you can do for your home and family is to take your HVAC maintenance seriously. This keeps everything working properly, everyone comfortable, and also helps to keep your energy bills low. Unfortunately, it is a task that is easily forgotten by many Greenwood, IN homeowners for months (or even years) at a time.

When you neglect your HVAC system, you are choosing to pay higher energy bills and expensive future repairs. To make the most of your system, and save money in the process, we’ve included our guidelines for HVAC maintenance here for you.

HVAC Preventative Maintenance Checklist

1. Check the Filter: This is always number one on the furnace maintenance checklist. Filters trap all kinds of dust, debris, germs, and clean the air, which means they can get dirty easily. If they’re not cleaned and replaced regularly, your HVAC system will suffer.
2. Annual Inspections: Part of HVAC maintenance is an annual visual inspection of all your furnace and air conditioner parts to ensure you won’t be stuck without heat in the middle of winter in Greenwood, IN. This regular inspection as part of preventative maintenance will keep things in tip top shape all year long.
3. Keep it Clean: The blowers, moving parts, condensing units, and other parts of your system get dirty. An HVAC maintenance professional can clean all the accumulated dust and debris with each inspection to ensure there is no damage to the internal systems.
4. Check the Condensate Drain: If the condensate drain becomes clogged, it can obstruct the flow of condensed water and cause moisture to accumulate. This eventually leads to mold, water damage, and high humidity in your home. Instead, a professional HVAC technician can flush and clean the condensate drain each year to ensure it stays clear.
5. Thermostat Settings: You probably know how to use your home thermostat, but sometimes the communication between the thermostat on the wall and the functioning of the HVAC needs to be checked. A heating and cooling technician can check to ensure the actual temperature and the temperature on the thermostat matches.
6. Checking the Connections and Voltage: HVAC connections and systems often come loose or break over time which compromises the performance of the system and can cause a complete breakdown. Our HVAC maintenance experts in Greenwood, IN carefully examine all of the wires and voltage to ensure they are in proper working order or replace them in order to minimize risk in the future.
7. Lubricate Moving Parts: There are several moving parts in your HVAC system. The compressors, circulation units, and furnaces need to be lubricated regularly. An HVAC maintenance technician should clean and lubricate all moving parts to remove friction and prevent damage.
8. Inspecting Exhaust Outlets: This is where the dangerous gases escape your property. If they are clogged, they can lead to a dangerous build-up. Have an HVAC contractor assess all of the exhaust outlets for signs of corrosion, leaks, and back draft to keep your family safe.
9. Fuel Lines and Connections: Leaking gas and fuel are a huge fire hazard and compromise the efficiency of your HVAC system. A furnace maintenance technician can check the fuel lines, heat exchangers and remove all clogs or traces of soot to ensure they are not leaking or compromised.
10. Checking the Refrigerant Levels: Your air conditioner should have enough refrigerant just like your car needs enough oil. Without enough refrigerant, the compressor will have to work harder and you’ll be greeted with an extra-large energy bill.

Benefits of Regular HVAC Maintenance

Some home and business owners in Greenwood don’t realize the risk they run by not keeping up with proper HVAC maintenance. Safety, saving money, and long lasting equipment is no scheme; it’s part of responsible ownership. Regularly scheduled furnace and air conditioner maintenance has a whole list of benefits:

• It will save you money: A minimal maintenance cost per year can save you thousands in future repair bills, it also saves you money each month on lower energy bills because you’re keeping your system working efficiently.
• Avoid unnecessary repairs: Preventative maintenance avoids the disruption caused by HVAC repairs.
• Keeps your home safe: By checking your fuel lines, your clogs, connections and voltage, HVAC maintenance protects your home and family from potential disaster.
• Extends your units’ lifespan: Regular HVAC maintenance will keep your system working efficiently for longer.
• Higher Energy Efficiency: Proper maintenance of your air conditioner and furnace keeps your system working efficiently so you use less energy and save money each month.
• Better indoor air quality: Your HVAC system is responsible for the air quality inside your home, making sure it is working properly ensures your air quality is clean and clear.

DIY Heating and Cooling Maintenance

While we recommend scheduling HVAC maintenance with a licensed and trained HVAC contractor in Greenwood, IN, there are some things you can do to help your HVAC system out.

• Buy the correct air filter. Many homeowners don’t pay attention to the correct size, shape, or type of air filter they need. Getting this right is an important step.
• Change the air filter regularly. Check the filter at least once every 3 months and change as needed.
• Keep the outdoor unit clear of debris. This is especially important in the springtime or after a storm in Greenwood, IN to ensure there’s not branches, leaves, or debris covering the unit.
• Help prevent clogs. You can pour a cup of bleach mixed with water into the air conditioner condensate drain to prevent buildup and future clogs.
• Never close more than 20% of a home’s registers. This allows your HVAC system to work more efficiently and avoid a backup.
• Replace the battery in your home’s carbon monoxide detector annually. This ensures that you and your family are protected in case of an emergency.
• Checking the condensate drain. If you find a clog, it’s time to call an HVAC maintenance technician.
• Inspecting exhaust outlets is important to ensure they are kept free and clear and working properly.

HVAC Maintenance FAQs

Unless you’re dealing with HVAC equipment on a daily basis and have proper training, any questions you have can be answered by a local professional. We’ve compiled a list of the questions we hear the most often in regards to proper HVAC maintenance.