We’ve stressed the importance of regular HVAC maintenance as it relates to the overall lifespan and functionality of your unit, but this practice saves energy as well. This translates into both cost savings and benefits for the environment. Read on to learn more about how regular HVAC Grand Prairie, TX, maintenance can help your household save energy, time and money.
Need help with your air conditioning, Grand Prairie, TX, neighbor? The team at Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling and Heating is on call and ready to help. Dial 972-992-1495 or visit us online to schedule a visit.
HVAC Maintenance and Repair Cost Savings
Aside from keeping your unit running smoothly on a day-to-day basis, regular maintenance can reduce the number of necessary repairs and increase the overall lifespan of the entire system. HVAC maintenance can be reactive, preventive or predictive. Let’s look at the difference.
- Reactive HVAC Maintenance — Sometimes also called “run-to-fail” maintenance, this strategy involves maintenance only when a problem or system breakdown occurs.
- Preventative HVAC Maintenance — This is where regularly scheduled maintenance comes into play. An HVAC professional performs prescribed maintenance on a set schedule, usually twice per year. With this maintenance strategy, loose or worn parts can be repaired or replaced before they cause problems, and the unit receives a thorough cleaning.
- Predictive HVAC Maintenance — Predictive maintenance requires an intimate understanding of all the components in your unit, how they behave and what their lifespans are. Maintenance is performed based on the current condition of the unit.
Because an HVAC system relies on many individual components working together, a problem with one part can have a ripple effect across the entire system, leading to additional damaged or faulty parts, and ultimately, greater repair costs. Preventative and predictive maintenance both help isolate issues to the specific components affected, thereby cutting repair costs, reducing downtime and eliminating waste from parts breaking down prematurely.
Energy Efficient HVAC Units
Diligent HVAC maintenance not only helps you cut repair costs, but it reduces the amount of energy your system needs in order to function. In turn, this results in lower utility bills, which is good for your bank account — and even better for the environment.
A study by the New Buildings Institute found that complying with best practices in building maintenance and operation can reduce overall energy consumption by up to 20%. This result was consistent across all climate zones in the United States. Conversely, in cases where building maintenance was neglected, energy use could increase by up to 60%.
While whole-system maintenance is essential, even keeping up with small maintenance tasks makes a difference. According to the Department of Energy, simply replacing a clogged filter with a clean one can reduce an HVAC unit’s energy consumption by up to 15%.
As for refrigerant levels, a system with too much or too little refrigerant will need to work harder to maintain homeostasis, which requires more energy. Maintaining appropriate refrigerant levels can result in energy savings of up to 20%. It is evident that the proper maintenance of each component in an HVAC system — and there are frequently over 100 parts in a unit — can add up to significant cost and energy savings. It’s important to note this doesn’t even take into account the environmental benefit of reducing waste from parts that break down prematurely.
When it comes to installing a new HVAC system in your home or commercial building, rebates and incentives may be available from your local municipality when you invest in an energy efficient unit. Customers can look for the ENERGY STAR symbol, a designation that recognizes home appliances that meet specific high-efficiency standards.
DIY HVAC Maintenance Tips
While it shouldn’t replace scheduled maintenance visits from a pro, DIY HVAC maintenance can help keep your unit running smoothly between visits. Let’s discuss 4 simple maintenance tasks you can perform at home as needed.
1. Change Air Filters
Dirty or clogged air filters place unnecessary strain on your A/C unit, driving up energy costs and decreasing its efficiency over time. Keeping air filters clean can help improve indoor air quality and extend the life of your unit. Homeowners should replace disposable filters or clean reusable air filters every 30–90 days. If you live in an excessively dusty or polluted climate — or if you have multiple pets in the home — you may need to perform this maintenance task more frequently than what the general guidelines suggest.
2. Seal Air Leaks
It’s essential to ensure that open spaces, like those surrounding doors and windows, are properly caulked or sealed to prevent air leaks. Ductwork should also be sealed properly. If not, cooled or heated air might escape into unused areas, like the attic, before ever reaching your living space.
3. Keep Condenser Coils Clean
Your system’s condenser unit is housed outside. One of its main jobs is to release the warm air removed from your home to the outside. It’s important to keep this component clear of obstructions like dirt, leaves, twigs and other debris. Homeowners should also ensure that any bushes, trees or shrubbery around the unit is trimmed back, allowing at least a 2-ft clearance to allow for proper air flow.
4. Schedule a Professional HVAC Tune-Up
Our experts recommend scheduling preventative maintenance from an HVAC company twice a year, once in the spring and fall respectively. Each visit includes a filter change, new thermostat batteries, a comprehensive cleaning and inspection of your unit and recommendations on repairing or replacing any problematic components.
We encourage our Grand Prairie, TX, customers to browse our Advantage Plan, a comprehensive and affordable maintenance plan that includes service reminders and annual cost savings.
Work with Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling and Heating
Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling and Heating specializes in residential and commercial HVAC services, including installations, repair services and ongoing maintenance.
Give us a call at 972-992-1495 or visit us online to schedule an appointment today.
Author Bio:
Sherrie Johnson-Hartsock
Dial One Johnson Plumbing, Cooling & Heating is now owned and operated by Sherrie Johnson-Hartsock, with his grandson, Daniel Johnson, a third-generation plumber who is also the Service Manager.