The heating and cooling system of any home is an important part of not only the comfort of the occupants, but also for saving electricity every year. A properly working HVAC system or heating service will run smoothly and keep the electric bills under control, and will keep the home’s temperature steady during all times of the year. But when there are problems, such as clogged blower fans, torn air ducts, or simply a very outdated system, the electric bill will be much higher, and the home or commercial building may not reach the proper temperature most of the time. What are some of the most common issues of a heating and cooling system in a home or public building today, and when is it time to call an HVAC contractor? And how does heating maintenance tie into the electric bill?
Expenses
Proper heating maintenance is an issue not only of keeping the system working well, but saving money on the electric bill every month and every year. Why is this? Even when a heating or cooling system is working well, uses up a lot of electricity to run. In fact, it has been found that most American homes will spend $300 per year on running their air conditioning and refrigeration, and heating and cooling eats up about 42% of the home’s used electricity, more than any other utility or appliance in the home. In fact, across the country, an entire 5% of all generated electricity goes toward residential air conditioning alone, and that adds up to $11 billion in cost to homeowners all added up. This is a lot of electricity and money, so naturally, homeowners will want to invest in heating maintenance and air conditioning repair so that money can be saved (though not all do). What can go wrong with this utility?
The Damage
Heating maintenance means dealing with a number of issues that may come up with a home’s heating and air conditioning systems. For one thing, simple age can mean that the HVAC system does not meet modern standards of energy efficiency even when it is not broken, and this system will be more prone to breaking down or failing, and this results in expensive repairs. Old systems may also have a lot of filth caked into them. And even newer air conditioning systems that have been around just a few years may have dirt and damage that slow them down. Heating maintenance means not only repairing broken or short-circuited components and panels in the heating system, but also cleaning it out. The blower fans, which are inaccessible for homeowners, may get clogged with dirt, dust, animal waste, pollen, and more over time, weakening them. Dirt can also clog air vents and fill up the air ducts, and squirrels or rats may break into the ducts and built nests, further blocking air flow. All of these issues and more can result in a system that is working overtime to make up for the air flow being blocked by dirt, and if the ducts are torn or broken, air leaks out, and this forces the system to keep working overtime to make up for the loss. All the while, excess electricity is being consumed, and that builds up the electric bill fast.
Fixes
The owner of a public building or a homeowner can take a few basic steps to aid their heating and air conditioning. Air vents can be cleaned by hand, and hot sunlight can be blocked with drapes or blinds to keep the home from being warmed up too much, and drapes and good insulation can also keep in cooler air during summer or warm air in winter. Fixing any drafty windows and doors may help.
An HVAC company should be hired for more serious issues or replacement parts. Cleaning the blower fans or installing new ones will call for professional help, and the same is true if the air ducts are torn or damaged, and crews can replace the damaged sections of the ducts and remove squirrel or rat (or even bird) nests inside. If a system is very old, heating maintenance will really mean removing the entire system and installing a new one. This will be costly, but the new system will be more energy efficient and powerful.
