What Happens When You Don't Clean Your Home's HVAC?
It's easy to forget about your home's HVAC unit, especially when it's running quietly in the background. But preventative maintenance is one of the best — and most cost-effective — ways to keep your heater and air conditioner in excellent shape. Cleaning some parts of your HVAC that are most likely to develop buildup and debris is a large part of that. See what can happen if you don't add these things to your to-do list to extend the life (and smooth operation) of your HVAC:
Your Home's Air Ducts
Your home's air ducts collect dust, dirt, and debris (like pet hair and dander). Your air ducts can even pick up grease and food particles from cooking. If these contaminants are allowed to build up, they can cause mold to develop, increase the pathogens circling through the air, and carry unpleasant smells throughout your home. Conversely, cleaning your home's air ducts can have several beneficial effects on your home's air.
The Air Conditioner
Your air conditioner has a lot of crevices. Leaves, dirt, and dust can build up on the evaporator casing, the condenser coils, and filters. This buildup stops the efficient transfer of the heat energy in and out of the coils and, over time, you'll see your HVAC become less effective, and your energy bill may even go up.
Your HVAC's Drains
HVAC drains can develop clogs just like sink drains. But rather than grease and food, HVAC drain clogs are built up of microbes and filmy residue. These should be vacuumed or blown out (or treated by a bleach-based solution) so your HVAC runs as optimally (and cleanly!) as possible.
Any time you're thinking about HVAC maintenance, remember one of the easiest chores for protecting your unit: replacing the filter. Putting a new filter in your HVAC every quarter (or more frequently) protects your HVAC from overheating and excessive wear.
But cleaning your HVAC's parts isn't always enough to keep it running. Schedule an appointment with a trained HVAC technician from A R Engh Heating & Air Conditioning if your HVAC is malfunctioning or if it's time for a bi-annual tuneup.