How To Care For Your New HVAC So It Stays In The Best Condition As It Ages

If you've recently had a new HVAC installed, you probably invested a lot of money and want to make sure the system lasts a long time. With proper care and maintenance, your furnace and air conditioner will last longer and perform more efficiently. Here are some important ways to care for your HVAC.

Keep The Furnace Ignition Clean

Soot builds up on a gas furnace over time, and that can cause problems with the ignition area. The burners may not ignite or they may not work properly if covered in soot. This could cause your furnace to shut down, or if it operates, it may be less efficient and drive up your power bill.

If you have regular maintenance from an HVAC company, you shouldn't have to worry about soot buildup. The service technician cleans the soot off when performing routine maintenance. If this isn't done and soot gets bad enough, it could blow out of your furnace and create a hazardous mess in your home.

Maintain The Air Handler Blower

The blower in the air handler needs to be kept clean too or it may not turn very well. This reduces the amount of air that flows through the ducts, and a dirty blower can even cause strain on the motor and cause the HVAC to shut down. The blower is another part of your HVAC the service technician tests and cleans. Having this maintenance done could prevent a failure of your AC or furnace when you need it most.

Help Air Circulate Freely

While the blower pushes air through your HVAC system, the air can't move if there are obstructions. A major cause of restricted airflow is a dirty filter. Changing the filter is your responsibility since it has to be done monthly or every few months as instructed by the manufacturer.

You can't let the same filter last until your next service call or problems will probably develop with your HVAC due to dust on the filter blocking air circulation. To help with air circulation further, maintain space around the air handler, registers, and condenser outdoors so airflow isn't blocked by curtains, furniture, weeds, or clutter.

Check The Equipment Regularly

If you keep the HVAC equipment in a protected place, it may not get dirty or dusty. If it's in an unfinished basement, you may need to dust the air handler occasionally to help keep dust from getting sucked inside and building up on the blower. You can even take off the outer panel and use a vacuum wand to pull out dust and debris, just don't open the inner panel where the parts are.

Cleaning the exterior of the air handler and registers gives you a chance to check for problems. One thing to watch for is a water leak around the air handler that could be due to a condensation clog. When you notice anything unusual or hear odd sounds coming from the air handler or condenser outside, call an HVAC company to check for problems. It's not good to operate your HVAC if it's malfunctioning, and doing so might cause damage to some of the parts.

For more information, contact an HVAC company in your area.