Modern HVAC systems are true work horses: many can last well over a decade with nary a problem. As a homeowner, you need to make sure that this durability doesn't make you complacent. Proper maintenance of your HVAC system will not only help it last longer, it will also help it operate more efficiently, meaning lower cooling and heating bills. For your air conditioning unit, this means giving it a checkup, and doing a little spring cleaning.

 

The first thing you should do to prepare your AC system for action is to install new air filters. Your air conditioner recirculates air. That is, it takes the air inside your house, which is presumably cooler than the air outside your home, cools this air even further, and blows it back into the house. If your filters aren't clean, the blower has to work much harder to circulate the air--it's akin to trying to breathe with a towel over your face--and less cooled air gets blown in through the vents. When air filters are dirty, the HVAC system will also end up drawing more hot air from outside, meaning warmer air being blown back into the house. Clean filters will also reduce the amount of pollen and other allergens in the air during hay fever season.

 

Unless you have some training in HVAC repair, this is something best left to professionals. An HVAC technician can check your system's Freon level, clean the evaporator and condensing coils, and calibrate the system's thermometers. You might be reluctant to shell out cash for a system that seems to be working just fine, but this service more than pays for itself by increasing the efficiency and lifespan of your HVAC system.

 

Ask the Builder, Air Conditioning--Maximizing Comfort, by Tim Carter