Let me ask you a question… are you the type of person that takes your car in for a regular oil change and servicing? Or, do you wait for your car to break down prior to taking it in? As with most mechanical components, the HVAC system of your property requires periodic servicing and an Annual HVAC Tune Up will ensure that your system is performing as best as possible. The average lifespan of an HVAC system is approximately 20 years with routine service. However, this lifespan can drop significantly if routine maintenance is not performed. Most manufactures only provide part replacement warranty so even if the unit is under factory warranty it does not cover labor or incidentals such as Freon. Servicing your HVAC system annually will keep it working to its highest efficiency and it will also save you money by protecting unit life and help keep repairs to a minimum. The following are just five of the items that get addressed during the annual HVAC tune up.
NUMBER ONE: AIR FILTERS
- Details: If the Air Filter(s) is not installed correctly or is breached then the dirt will collect on the blower assembly and the evaporator coil. This can cause the airflow to stay low even though a new filter is installed and can only be rectified by a through cleaning. Depending on the system this can easily run over $500 as it can be labor intensive. Filter replacement intervals can vary depending on the return air grill location, size of the filter and pets.
- Summary: Replacing the air filter(s) keeps the system running smoothly.
NUMBER TWO: INDOOR BLOWER MOTORS
- Details: Indoor Blower Motors are also impacted because they are cooled by the air passing over them. Lower airflow equals higher motor winding temps. This will shorten motor life by winding insulation breakdown. ECM motors will ramp up to attempt to overcome the restriction. They will then use more electricity which will also cause them to run hotter.
- Summary: Replacing the air filter(s) keeps the indoor blower motors clean and therefore the system running smoothly.
NUMBER THREE: FREON LEVELS
- Details: Freon Level checks are more of a system health analysis with modern tools as they are no longer just measuring pressure inside the system but by also taking the temperature of the lines they can quickly determine if the two coils are operating in acceptable ranges. A system with too low of a Freon level will not cool to the rated capacity. This causes much longer run times. The Freon also cools the compressor so this components life could be shortened. If the Freon level it too high then the condenser pressures and tempretures can be higher then normal also causing shortened component life.
- Summary: Checking the freon levels will make sure that the system cools efficently and properly.
NUMBER FOUR: CAPACITORS
- Details: Most residential systems have capacitors in them for the electric motor and compressor to start and run with ECM and three phase motors being an exception. Generally there is a duel capacitor in the outdoor equipment and one small one in the furnace or air handler. It is well known that these degrade and fail over time and not just fail instantaneously. Temperature, line voltage vibration all are contributing factors as well as manufacturing quality. We check capacitor values and replace them when they fall outside specifications during maintenance. This is one of the main contributors to summertime call outs.
- Summary: Replacing capicitors during this maintenance service helps prevent emergency calls which… helps save money.
NUMBER FIVE: OUTDOOR COIL
- Details: The Outdoor Coil is located inside the condensing section and this coil expels the heat collected into the Freon passing through the indoor coil or evaporator. Large amounts of unfiltered air pass through this coil and it will require regular cleaning to maintain its ability to expel heat. Like its evaporator sibling, when dirty, it too will go through a wider temperature swing also shortening the coil life. Also, the slower the air in the condenser the hotter it will get and higher the pressure of the Freon inside. These higher temperatures will also cause the compressor and the outdoor fan motor to run hotter and degrade the motor winding life. These conditions also cause the system to consume more electricity to do the same work. The environment that the condenser lives and the amount of time it is operated will determine the intervals required to keep it in the proper operating state. Units located in dusty areas, close to dryer vents, dog kennels and nearby foliage that collects on the coils are all examples of equipment that require shorter cleaning intervals. Usual intervals are once a year washing of the outdoor coils.
- Summary: Annually cleaning the outdoor coils keeps the system running smoothly.
CONCLUSION
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and when it comes to maintaining the longevity of your HVAC system, scheduling an Annual HVAC Tune Up will ensure that your system is working as efficiently and as long as possible!
