At O’Brien Service Company, we know that it can be stressful to be faced with the purchase of a new heating and air conditioning system (HVAC). Since customer service is our top priority, we try to make the sales and installation process as smooth as possible. We also make every effort to help our clients extend the life span of their current HVAC systems.
Here are five strategies that have proven effective in our field to keep an HVAC running.
- Ensure that your HVAC system is accurately sized to fit your home’s needs. This can be achieved by having a professional perform a load calculation. Installing a system that is incorrectly sized to the house will result in additional wear and tear to it. For example, a system that is too small will never be able to maintain a comfortable temperature setting. Instead, it will run constantly as it tries to heat or cool the home. If you home has a system that is too big, it will reach the desired temperature setting too fast. This will make the system turn on and off constantly, which can result in moisture issues as well as additional wear on the system. Whether or not you choose O’Brien, it’s critical to have a load calculation performed to ensure that your HVAC system is customized to your home’s unique specifications.
- Have annual checkups and maintenance performed on your system. This is one of the most effective ways to extend the life span of an HVAC system. It would be foolish to drive a car for 30,000 miles without having the oil changed, wouldn’t it? Considering that heating and air conditioning systems need to run almost 365 days a year in our part of the country, it’s vital to have routine maintenance performed. What this entails is a thorough checkup and cleaning of the major parts, along with a flush of the drain line to prevent water leaks and to ensure the system is running at maximum efficiency. A maintenance inspection is one of the best ways to prevent any possible issues from turning into major repairs. According to the experts at Trane, “Asking a professional to check your system will increase the life of the system, improve energy efficiency, reduce pollutants and save money.” For more information on a maintenance plan, contact our office.
- A simple and important step toward extending the life span of your system is to change the filter. A dirty or clogged air filter will prevent air from passing through it. The result is that the system has to work harder to reach the desired temperature setting. The website Energy.gov reports that replacing a dirty filter can lower a heating and air conditioning system’s energy consumption by up to 10 percent. If you have questions about when to change your filter, view our Insights article on the topic.
- Don’t overwork the system! It’s important to be realistic when setting the thermostat. When it is 100 degrees outside, it’s unreasonable to set the thermostat at 68 degrees because the system will run in vain all day long and never reach that temperature. Installing a programmable thermostat can help ensure the system has a long, effective life span. To learn more, read our WILMA Insights article on programmable thermostats. It provides much more detail about how a programmable thermostat can help extend the life span of your system.
5. The final tip is to give your system a hand! Many simple steps can help extend the life span of your system. These include closing blinds during the summer to filter sunlight, using ceiling fans, and making sure your home is properly sealed and insulated. It’s also important to clear the system of sticks and debris, change the filters, and make sure you have your annual inspection!
Although the tips listed here can be effective, the average life span for most systems is only 10 years to 15 years. After that, the efficiency starts to drop incrementally and repairs may be necessary.
When the time comes to purchase a new system or have a routine inspection performed, please contact O’Brien Service Company.
O’Brien Service Company is a certified Trane Comfort Specialist and works on both residential and commercial systems. The company’s highly trained and versatile technicians can expertly handle complex repairs and installations, and provide advice on the benefits of regular maintenance. To arrange a free at-home consultation, call 910.799.6611, or visit the company’s website at www.obrienservice.com.
