5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About HVAC and Their Air Conditioning Service | Arlington, TX

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5-Things-Every-Homeowner-Should-Know-About-HVAC-and-Their-Air-Conditioning-Service-_-Arlington,-TX

5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About HVAC and Their Air Conditioning Service | Arlington, TX

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You have a lot of different jobs to keep up with if you want to keep your home looking and feeling great. The problem is, it can be tough to understand things like plumbing and air conditioning service when that’s not what you do for a living. While you shouldn’t be doing any repairs yourself, you should at least know how to spot problems and which problems require immediate professional help. Luckily, we’re here to help. If you’re seeking some basic HVAC knowledge that can help you keep your Arlington, TX, home at a comfortable temperature all year long, here’s what you need to know.

1. Seasonal Maintenance

One of the most important things to understand when it comes to your HVAC system is what you need to do in terms of maintenance. Just like most things in life, you have to regularly maintain your HVAC system if you want it to work well. Not only does this mean having some money to spend, it also means knowing when to call an air conditioning service pro.

As far as HVAC maintenance goes, most experts will recommend you have maintenance done during the fall and spring each year. While this might sound a little odd considering these aren’t peak seasons, that’s exactly why they’re good times to have your heating and cooling worked on. With spring on the way, now is a great time to schedule a seasonal maintenance appointment with your air conditioning service professional.

2. Common Problems

Of all the things you need to know if you want to keep your HVAC system in great shape, understanding some of the common problems and when you should call for heating and air conditioning service is among the most important. Simply understanding some of the problems you’re likely to face can save you hundreds in repair costs.

As far as your AC goes, some of the most common problems include refrigerant leaks, dirty coils and bent fins. If you suspect something is leaking from your AC unit or your AC is blowing warm air, have a professional look at it as soon as possible.

Common heater problems ignition problems, a faulty thermostat or a heater that doesn’t work at all. If you’re dealing with any of these problems with your heater, you should shut it off and call a professional when you get a chance.

3. Proper Operation

You might not think there’s a whole lot that goes into using a heating or cooling system properly, but that’s simply not true. The fact of the matter is, making sure you use your HVAC system properly has a big impact on its longevity and effectiveness. Before you crank your thermostat way up or way down, make sure you know what you’re doing.

Any good air conditioning service company will tell you that it’s best to be somewhat easy on your heating and cooling systems. If you normally turn your thermostat up to 74 degrees to heat your home, try turning up to 68 or 69 degrees instead. If you blast your AC during the summer to get your home cooled down as quickly as possible, try setting a reasonable temperature and watch how much quicker it cycles off. The fact of the matter is, a lot of people overuse heating and cooling in an attempt to maintain optimal temperatures at all times. However, this extra workload can put a lot of stress on your HVAC system and eventually cause it to fail prematurely.

4. Air Filters

As a homeowner, you don’t necessarily need to understand every working part of your HVAC system. However, having an understanding of how things work is a good way to make sure you know how to spot problems and when to call air conditioning service. If there’s one part of an HVAC system that every homeowner should understand, it’s the air filter. Not only does your air filter play an important role in keeping things running smoothly, chances are you aren’t replacing it often enough.

According to most heating and air conditioning service professionals, you should change the air filter in your HVAC system at least once every 6-12 months if you live alone. If you have a family, you should change your air filter once every 90 days or so. When you add a pet to the equation, that recommendation changes to 60 days. If you don’t change your air filter, you’re overworking your HVAC system and introducing unnecessary contaminants into your home.

5. When to Replace

Chances are you haven’t thought about replacing your HVAC system in quite some time, if ever. While you don’t need to buy a new heating and cooling system very often, they do need to be replaced at some point. As an Arlington, TX, homeowner, you should have a good understanding of how old your system is and when it needs to be replaced.

Most heating and air conditioning services pros recommend replacing your HVAC system every 10 to 15 years. The truth is, this depends on how hard you work your system and how often you have maintenance done. Some HVAC systems may need to be replaced far sooner. If your heating or cooling system is at least 10 years old, you should have a heating and air conditioning service expert take a look at it to see if it needs to be replaced.

Professional Help

At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do to take care of your HVAC system. If you really want to keep things in good shape, you need the help of a heating and air conditioning service professional.

Luckily, Minuteman Heating and Air is here for all your HVAC service needs. Whether you need a new system installed in your Arlington, TX, home or simple maintenance done, we can help. Give us a call at (817) 284-2569 to schedule an appointment today.