Maintenance Checks You can Do Yourself on
Your Heating and Air Conditioning
With the proper maintenance and care, your Heating and Air equipment will operate economically and dependably. There are a few simple, routine maintenance operations you can do to help ensure the best performance and comfort from your system.
Safety First
Before you perform any kind of maintenance, consider these important safety
precautions.
A Broken Furnace
If your furnace is not working, you probably need a professional contractor
to advise you on the problem. There are a few items you should check before
you call in the professional. Check the setting on your thermostat. Move the
temperature higher and see if the furnace comes back on. Of you have a timer
on your furnace, make sure it is set correctly. Also, check the batteries
on your thermostat and replace them if necessary. Your furnace may have an
electrical switch which supplies its power. This can be found in the room
where the furnace is located and resembles a normal light switch. Check and
be sure it was not turned off accidentally. If you have an oil burner, be
sure there is oil in the tank or if you have a gas furnace, make sure the
pilot light has not gone out. Of these suggestions don't solve your problem,
then you should call in a professional. If you're not sure what to do, or
if you feel the situation is unsafe, call a professional.
Routine Maintenance
Check the air filter in your furnace or fan coil every 3 to 4 weeks. A dirty
filter will cause excessive strain on your furnace, air conditioner or heat
pump. Replace your filter when necessary, or clean it if you have the reusable
type. (If you have a reusable filter, make sure it's completely dry before
you re-install it.) The prefilter and collection cells of an electronic air
cleaner should be cleaned at least two or three times per year.
Clean dust off of your indoor coil. With a vacuum cleaner and soft-brush attachment,
you can remove any dust from the top and underside of the coil. Make sure
you only do this when the coil is dry. If you can't get the coil clean this
way, call call Custom Air or any other
professional to help.
Keep your outdoor condensing unit free of debris. If you keep grass clippings,
leaves, shrubbery and debris away from your outdoor unit, it should only require
minimal care to operate properly. Check the base pan (under the unit) occasionally
and remove debris, to help the unit drain correctly.
If the outdoor coil becomes dirty, use a brush or a vacuum cleaner with a
soft brush attachment to clean the surface. To clean dirt that is deep in
the coil, If you can't get the coil clean this way, call
Custom Air or any other professional to help.
Take special care of outdoor condensing units in ocean environments. If your
unit is located near a sea coast, you can help preserve its optimal condition
with a little extra care. Ocean mist and sea breezes carry salt, which is
corrosive to most metals. Although most new are made out of galvanized metal
and are protected by top-grade paint, you can add life to your unit by washing
all exposed surfaces and the coil approximately every three months. Give Custom
Air a call and we will let you know how often you should this should
be done.
Make sure your outdoor unit stays in a level position. If the support for
your split-system outdoor unit shifts or settles and the unit is no longer
level, re-level it promptly to make sure moisture drains properly out of the
unit. If you notice that water or ice collects beneath the unit, arrange for
it to be drained away from the equipment.
Inspect your furnace's combustion area and vent system before each heating
season. If you find dirt, soot or rust, your system may not operate properly
or at its peak efficiency. Call Custom Air
and we will send some one out to take a look at it for you.
Have oil-fired boilers inspected annually. Call Custom
Air before each heating season to replace your oil filter cartridge
and conduct a thorough inspection of the unit's operation.
Clean your humidifier at the beginning of every heating season. Review your
owner's manual for the proper procedure to clean the external and internal
components of your unit. The evaporator pad should also be replaced before
each heating season. If the water in your area is hard or has high mineral
content, you may need to clean or service your humidifier more frequently.
Clean the core and air filters on a ventilator at least every three months.
You can vacuum the core of an energy recovery ventilator as long as it is
dry and the outdoor temperature is between 60 F (16 C) and 75 F (24 C). Heat
recovery ventilator cores can be soaked for three hours in a solution of warm
water and mild soap and then rinsed. Ventilator air filters are washable:
just use a vacuum to remove the heaviest accumulation of dust and then wash
them in lukewarm water. Replace them after they are completely dry.
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