Just like your car, your
home comfort system needs routine maintenance to keep it running
at its best. Without regular servicing, heating and cooling systems
waste energy and are more likely to break down. But with the proper
attention, they can keep you comfortable year-round.
Below are some basic tips to keep your system running efficiently. However, these
tips are not designed to replace annual servicing by a qualified dealer.
To set up an appointment, just call us.
Heating Equipment
Heat pumps and oil-fired furnaces and boilers need a yearly professional tune-up.
Gas-fired equipment burns cleaner; it should be serviced every other year.
Step 1
A close inspection will uncover leaks, soot, rust, rot, corroded electrical
contacts and frayed wires. In furnace (forced-air) and boiler (hot-water) systems,
the inspection should also cover the chimney, ductwork or pipes, dampers or
valves, blower or pump, registers or radiators, the fuel line and the gas meter
or oil tank-as well as every part of the furnace or boiler itself.
Step 2
Next, the system should be run through a full heating cycle to ensure that
it has plenty of combustion air and chimney draft. Contractors use smoke pencils
to check for sufficient draft and also test the air for carbon monoxide.
Step 3
Finally, it's time for the down and dirty task of cleaning the burner and heat
exchanger to remove soot and other gunk that can impede smooth operation. For
the burner, efficiency hinges on adjusting the flame to the right size and
color, adjusting the flow of gas or changing the fuel filter in an oil-fired
system. A check of the heat pump should include an inspection of the compressor,
fan, indoor and outdoor coils and refrigerant lines. Indoor and outdoor coils
should be cleaned, and the refrigerant pressure should be checked. Low pressure
indicates a leak; to locate it, contractors feed tinted refrigerant into the
loop and go over it with an electronic detector.
Blowers
Tuning up the distribution side of a forced-air system starts with the blower.
The axle should be lubricated; blades cleaned and lower motor checked to insure
the unit isn't being overloaded. The fan belt should be adjusted so it deflects
no more than an inch when pressed. Every accessible joint in the ductwork should
be sealed with mastic or UL-approved duct tapes. Any ducts that run outside
the heated space should be insulated. On a hot-water system, the expansion
tank should be drained, the circulating pump cleaned and lubricated and air
bled out of the radiators.
Thermostats
While thermostats rarely fail outright, they can degrade over time as mechanical
parts stick or lose their calibration. Older units will send faulty signals
if they've been knocked out of level or have dirty switches. To recalibrate
an older unit, use a wrench to adjust the nut on the back of the mercury switch
until it turns the system on and, using a room thermometer, set it to the correct
temperature. Modern electronic thermostats, sealed at the factory to keep out
dust and grime, rarely need adjusting. However, whether your thermostat is
old or young, the hole where the thermostat wire comes through the wall needs
to be caulked or a draft could trick it into thinking the room is warmer or
colder than it really is.
Humidifiers
A neglected in-duct humidifier can breed mildew and bacteria, not to mention
add too much moisture to a house. A common mistake with humidifiers is leaving
them on after the heating season ends. Don't forget to pull the plug, shut
the water valve and drain the unit. A unit with a water reservoir should be
drained and cleaned with white vinegar, a mix of one part chlorine bleach to
eight parts water or muriatic acid. Mist-type humidifiers also require regular
cleaning to remove mineral deposits.
Filters
Most houses with forced-air furnaces have a standard furnace filter made from
loosely woven spun-glass fibers designed to keep it and its ductwork clean.
Unfortunately, they don't improve indoor air quality. That takes a media filter,
which sits in between the main return duct and the blower cabinet. Made of
a deeply pleated, paper-like material, media filters are at least seven times
better than a standard filter at removing dust and other particles. An upgrade
to a pleated media filter will cleanse the air of everything from insecticide
dust to flu viruses.
Compressed, media filters are usually no wider than six inches, but the pleated
material can cover up to 75 square feet when stretched out. This increased
area of filtration accounts for the filter's long life, which can exceed two
years. The only drawback to a media filter is its tight weave, which can restrict
a furnace's ability to blow air through the house. To insure a steady, strong
airflow through the house, choose a filter that matches your blower's capacity.
Duct Cleaning
Inside the walls and floors of 80 percent of American homes run a maze of heating
and air conditioning ducts that connect each room to the furnace. As the supply
ducts blow air into the rooms, return ducts inhale airborne dust and suck it
back into the blower. Add moisture to this mixture and you've got a breeding
ground for allergy-inducing molds, mites and bacteria. Many filters commonly
used today can't keep dust and debris from streaming into the air and over
time sizable accumulations can form-think dust bunnies, but bigger.
To find out if your ducts need cleaning, pull off some supply and return registers
and take a look. If a new furnace is being installed, you should probably invest
in a duct cleaning at the same time, because chances are the new blower will
be more powerful than the old one and will stir up a lot of dust.
Professional duct cleaners tout such benefits as cleaner indoor air, longer
equipment life and lower energy costs. Clean HVAC systems can also perform
more efficiently, which may decrease energy costs, and last longer, reducing
the need for costly replacement or repairs. Cleaning has little effect on air
quality, primarily because most indoor dust drifts in from the outdoors. But
it does get rid of the stuff that mold and bacteria grow on, and that means
less of it gets airborne, a boon to allergy sufferers. |
