HVAC-Related Mistakes to Watch for as a Homeowner
29
Oct

HVAC-Related Mistakes to Watch for as a Homeowner

Your HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) system is one of the most important aspects of your home. It keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter and makes sure that the air in your home is high-quality. While keeping these operating well and maintaining them is often straightforward, some issues may potentially arise. If you aren’t careful, you could end up making some costly and annoying HVAC-related mistakes as a result.

This blog post is going to go over a few mistakes that you should avoid to keep your HVAC system working well.

Ignoring Your Furnace and Air Conditioner

During their day-to-day life, most people don’t think very much about their furnace and air conditioner. They turn it on when they need it and off when they don’t. However, these systems are quite complicated and are full of moving parts.

Every now and then, they will need to be maintained and repaired in order to keep them in good shape. If you simply ignore them and never think about maintaining them, it may not be long until they break down. Not only that, the system in your home may not be right for the climate or size of the home.

If your system isn’t working or not right for the space you have, it is a good idea to get a Furnace replacement or repair as soon as possible. If you put things like this off for too long, the time might come when you want to heat or cool your home, and you will be unable to. You should generally have your HVAC inspected at least once every 12 months or so.

Not Addressing Air Leaks

Few things can have as large an impact on your heating and cooling efforts as air leaks can. These are small gaps in exterior walls that can let in cold or hot air from outside. These can be anywhere, but they are most commonly found around door and window frames.

If you are running the heat inside, these small leaks will let this air escape. This means you will need to run the furnace for longer, wasting money and energy. Every now and then, be sure to go around your home detecting air leaks.

Once found, don’t ignore them and instead be sure to seal them up with appropriate materials. This will save you money and your furnace won’t need to work as hard in order to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Getting an Improperly-Sized Unit

 

Improper sized HVAC unit

While you might think almost all furnace and AC units are capable of heating or cooling any home, this actually isn’t the case. You need the right-size furnace for your space in order for it to heat the area effectively and efficiently.

While you might think identifying the right size is challenging, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can use this furnace sizing calculator to make sure you know the right size based on the size of the space you need to heat.

In addition to the size of your home, you also need to think about the climate you are in. If you are in a colder climate zone, you will need a furnace with a higher capacity, as your home will require more heat in order to remain at a comfortable temperature. On the other hand, those in a warmer climate will often need much less out of their furnace.

Evading Heating and Cooling Mistakes

As you can see, there are several different HVAC-related mistakes you should keep an eye out for. They can not only be annoying to deal with but also costly.

In case you have any questions on  HVAC systems or  HVAC-related mistakes for your house, feel free to contact us.