Extending the Life of Your HVAC System: Five Things That Can Help

Life is expensive. At times it can feel like it’s all pay, pay, pay. And it doesn’t come much more expensive than replacing a HVAC system. Along with changing the car and sending the kids to college, it’s one of those things that makes your heart beat a little faster as you look at the numbers involved. So anything that you can do to save a few bucks is definitely worth your consideration at the very least.

We can’t comment much about saving money on cars and college tuition, but given the fact that we’ve been offering HVAC cleaning and maintenance services in Arvada, Broomfield and the Greater Denver Metro Area for over 40 years, we do know a thing or two about making HVAC systems last longer.

Based on what we’ve seen over the years, here are our favorite, easy-to-implement tips to protect your HVAC system and hopefully stave off the need to purchase a new system for as long as possible.

Change Your Air Duct Filters Regularly

The air filter on your HVAC system will get dirty. That’s kind of the point. But there’s a limit to how dirty a filter can get before it starts having an impact on the functioning of the HVAC system. Most residential systems will use either a fiberglass filter or a pleated filter. Fiberglass filters usually need to be changed every month, while pleated filters need replacing quarterly.

Check the condition of your filter regularly and if you notice that it’s dirty, swap it out for a new one, even if it isn’t due to be changed yet. Running your HVAC with a dirty filter in place is a sure way to increase running costs and accelerate wear and tear. It puts pressure on the fan in particular, but the system as a whole will suffer.

Have Your Air Ducts Deep Cleaned Regularly

Making sure the filter is kept clean is something you can do yourself, but it’s also recommended that you enlist the help of a professional HVAC cleaning company once every year or so, as the commercial-grade equipment that they have, combined with the expert knowledge, ensures that the interior of your system is kept clean – particularly the air ducts. Any dirt and dust that has built up will be removed, any debris that has fallen into the ducts will be cleared away, and should your ducts have been invaded by any little critters, they’ll be dealt with too.

We’ve been offering HVAC and air duct cleaning for a long, long time, and I can’t tell you what a difference it makes when a system is fully clean. We’ve worked on jobs whereby the system had been seriously neglected for a few years, we’ve come in and given it the full works and the difference afterward was night and day. Efficiency went through the roof, and that means more money in your pocket!

Have a HVAC Technician Check on System Health Each Year

In addition to a thorough cleaning, it’s important that you have a professional technician look at your HVAC system each year. They will look at the condition of all major system components, and make any replacements that are necessary.

This is not only important to repair any immediate problems, but also to plan ahead and replace any components that are putting extra stress on the system as a whole due to their poor condition.

Try Using the Auto-Fan Setting

When it’s boiling hot outside in summer or freezing cold in the winter, it can be very tempting to have the dial set to "On" permanently. But the "Auto-Fan" setting is a much better choice if you care about preventing wear and tear on your system. You see when the dial is in the "On" position, your AC or heating will run constantly until you turn it off. This obviously puts a lot of pressure on the system and leads to components wearing out much quicker.

The Auto-Fan feature by comparison monitors the indoor temperature and only kicks into action when the temperature creeps out of the range that you set. Basically, it is only running when necessary, as opposed to all of the time. In the long run, this can mean your HVAC system lasts much, much longer.

Think About Improving Your Home’s Insulation

This tip has nothing to do with your HVAC system, but it can help to protect it. That's because if your home is poorly insulted, the treated air your system is circulating will escape outside. The result? Your AC or heating will always be running. And it goes without saying that the most often it's running, the quicker parts will wear out and need to be replaced.

One part of the home that is particularly prone to a lack of insulation is the attic and a lot of energy is often lost through it, so that might be a good place to start. Old windows are another major culprit of energy loss.

Call the Air Duct Cleaning Company that Arvada Trusts

We might not be able to do everything on the list above for you, but we can take care of the air duct cleaning for you, and we’re always happy to chat and share our wealth of experience with you so that you can get the most out of your HVAC system. So call today or contact us online to make an appointment. We hope to meet you soon!