The summer season is an important time to rely on your home’s cooling system. A cooled-down home will provide a lot of comfort, help fight humidity, and create a comfortable atmosphere for everyone in the home. As you run HVAC units in the summer, you should keep several safety tips in mind to help prevent issues and ensure your HVAC unit remains safe. Learn some of these safety tips and some of the little things you can do to keep your home protected.
Ensure Proper HVAC Unit Clearance
If you have a central air unit installed at your home, chances are you will have a unit located outside the home. A central air unit located outside your home will provide the proper functions to cool your home and disperse hot air to the exterior. The growth of weeds, bushes, grass, and other plants could impact the performance of the unit.
Keep the area around an HVAC unit properly taken care of. You do not want plants to grow too closely and create issues for your property. Ideally, you want to give at least a 3-foot buffer all around the unit. Every week or so, do a visual inspection around the unit and do keep the area free from plant growth. In the summer, plants can grow pretty rapidly, so regular inspections can help monitor this growth.
If plants grow too close to the unit, then it could directly impact the performance of your air conditioning. For example, leaves, dirt, and other debris could jam into the air intake system and clog it. The clogs could cause the system to work even harder and may cause damage. Too many plants around the unit could also impact the air filter and the quality of the air you breathe in. If you hire a landscaping company, then you could direct them to properly trim and take care of the area around the unit.
Air Filter Replacements
Dirt and debris from outside the unit are not the only impact on your HVAC unit’s air filter. An air filter provides a key element to the fresh air in your home and can make a big difference in the air quality. On the exterior of your home, dust, pollen, and particles in the air can infiltrate through the HVAC system. On the interior, human hair, pet hair, and everyday dust can also impact air filters.
If an air filter becomes too dirty, then the quality of air in the home could go down. You could breathe in particles and suffer from possible breathing issues. The cool air you supply to your home should also be fresh and clean air. While every filter is different, you should check your air filter at least once a month to determine if a replacement is needed. HVAC professionals can supply you with a brand-new filter that can help catch particles. Investing in an air filter that can catch more will help keep your indoor air as clean as possible and prevent allergens in the air. Technicians may also supply other upgrades like air purifiers or dehumidifiers to make the air even cleaner and better to breathe in.
Leak Inspections
The wear and tear on an HVAC unit in the summer can result in multiple issues, especially if the air conditioner runs on a consistent basis. One of the more common issues to be on the lookout for is an HVAC leak. A leaking unit can not only create hazards around your home but may result in damage to your HVAC unit. Visual inspections can help you spot any major leaks. Leaks can come in both liquid and air forms.
Check the exterior unit for any signs of liquid leaks. The presence of small puddles or standing water around a unit may be a sign of a leak. On the interior, look for any visible damage on the ductwork or vents with your unit. For example, you may notice that one vent pushes out more air than another. This could be a sign of a leak in the ducts. When air doesn’t reach the proper vent, it can cause the HVAC unit to work harder to push more air through and reach proper temperatures.
Not only can you visually spot leaks, but you may smell leaks as well. If you notice a sudden change in the air that includes a musty scent, then you may have a condensation leak in various parts of the unit. Repairs or parts are likely needed to fix the leak and prevent odors in your home.
Thermostat Upgrades
A newer thermostat can provide many benefits for your home. Smart thermostats can feature timers so that the air conditioning only runs for certain parts of the day and puts less stress on the HVAC unit. The thermostat can learn different trends and know the best settings to provide cool air to your home.
Newer thermostats also include built-in reminders to ensure the proper health of your HVAC unit. For example, a thermostat could feature a built-in timer for air filter replacement. Instead of remembering to check or replace your air filter on a regular basis, a reminder from a thermostat will help ensure your air quality levels remain high.
Smart thermostats also come with the ability to access information right from a smart device. With easy access, you can receive alerts directly on your phone, cut down on energy costs, and know when any issues occur before the problem gets worse.
Summer HVAC Inspections
Instead of doing all the inspections yourself, one of the best safety tips for HVAC units is to rely on professional help. Summer HVAC maintenance can ensure your units run at optimal levels and professionals can detect any issues with a unit. HVAC professionals can help with thermostat upgrades, air filter changes, or leak repairs.
Scheduling an inspection at the beginning of the summer will help you enjoy cool air all summer long and help prevent any major issues. Once you become a customer with an HVAC company, you can easily call them up to inspect your unit for any needed repairs.
High-Quality HVAC Services in Charlotte, NC
Don’t go through a hot Charlotte summer without help from our HVAC professionals at Acosta Heating, Cooling, & Electrical. Our HVAC technicians can inspect, repair, and install HVAC units to provide your whole home with central air cooling. Our team can supply you with a wide range of indoor air quality services including air filters, air purifiers, air cleaners, dehumidifiers, and more.
Other services include heating installations and repairs for both furnaces and heat pumps. Our electrical services include panel upgrades, electrical repairs, generator installations, whole-home surge protection, and outlet installation. We offer maintenance plans for any of our services and a plan will help ensure you have service regularly.
Contact us at Acosta Heating, Cooling, and Electrical to find out more about our services and help keep your home cool all summer long.