Complete Heat and Air: Preventive Maintenance

Why should I perform preventive maintenance?
Heating and cooling systems work incredibly hard to perform their functions for your household. The constant stopping, starting and continual operation can wear down a machine quickly and unexpectedly if the proper care and maintenance is delayed. However, by performing preventive maintenance, or servicing your system regularly, you can maximize the lifecycle of your heating or cooling unit and guard against many unexpected failures Preventive maintenance inspections performed on a regular basis can uncover leaks, rust, rot, soot, frayed wires and corroded electrical contacts.

What equipment requires preventive maintenance?
At least once a year heat pumps, gas furnaces and air conditioners require a professional tune-up.

Inspections on furnace systems should include ductwork, pipes, dampers, valves, registers, blowers, fuel lines, the gas meter and every part of the actual furnace. Meanwhile, heat pump and air conditioning unit inspections should also include inspections of the fan, compressor, indoor coils, outdoor coils and refrigerant lines.

What equipment requires preventive maintenance?
At least once a year heat pumps, gas furnaces and air conditioners require a professional tune-up. Inspections on furnace systems should include ductwork, pipes, dampers, valves, registers, blowers, fuel lines, the gas meter and every part of the actual furnace. Meanwhile, heat pump and air conditioning unit inspections should also include inspections of the fan, compressor, indoor coils, outdoor coils and refrigerant lines.

What type of filter should I use?
Standard furnace filters work well to keep your system and its ductwork clean, but they don't really improve indoor air quality. To do that you need a media filter. The media filter rests between the main return duct and the blower cabinet and will improve dust and particle removal by seven times that of a standard furnace filter. However, upgrading to a pleated media filter will remove everything from insecticide dust to airborne viruses from the filtered air. A media filter can have a life exceeding two years, and its only drawback is that its tight fiber weave can cause your furnace to have to work harder to blow air through the house. Always choose a filter that matches your blower's capacity.

What is the most efficient way to run my heating and cooling system?
Here are several tips to help you keep your system running at its most efficient level:

Keep your thermostat at a constant temperature, the recommended temperature is 78°, even when no one is home.
Change your filters every month.
Check the outside condensing unit regularly for any grass clippings or leaves stuck to the coil. If it is dirty:
- Disconnect the power at the circuit breaker FIRST!
- Use a shop-vac with a brush attachment to vacuum off the debris.
- Run water from a garden hose through the coil until the water passing through it is clear.
- Turn the power back on.
- Have the unit serviced every spring by a licensed service company.

What is SEER?
SEER stands for Season Energy Efficiency Ratio. This is a rating system used by the US Government to establish the efficiency level of cooling equipment. The higher the SEER rating, the less electricity the equipment uses and the more efficient it is. SEER is determined by dividing the cooling capacity, measured in BTUh, of a continuously operating air conditioner by the electric power input, measured in WATTs, of power consumed. The current standard for equipment in the United States is that they must function at a minimum of 10 SEER.

Why do some major manufacturers favor higher energy standards and raising the minimum efficiency standards for residential air conditioners to 13 SEER?
Some manufacturers believe that having higher energy efficiency standards is the right thing to do. It is right for the consumer, right for the environment and right for energy conservation.

Why is 13 SEER the right thing to do?
Using higher efficiency units saves you more money on monthly electricity bills. The same higher efficiency units reduce harmful pollutants in the environment, and conserving energy is important, especially during an energy crisis.

Is 13 SEER technology already available?
13 SEER air conditioners have been produced for several years. Every manufacturer, large and small, makes 13 SEER units today.

What is the difference in energy efficiency from 10 to 13 SEER?
The 13 SEER unit is 8% more efficient than a 12 SEER unit and 30% more efficient than a 10 SEER unit, the current minimum since 1992.

Aren't 13 SEER units bigger? What if they're too big for people to install in their homes?
The outside condensing unit of a 13 SEER system is slightly larger than 10 SEER or less efficient system. 13 and 12 SEER outside condensing units have the same footprint (length and width) with the 13 SEER unit only 5 inches taller. Most evaporator coils that are installed inside the house are only 4 inches taller than a 10 SEER coil. This means consumers will not have tremendous added expenses in installation.

What does everyone stand to gain from this?
Everyone stands to gain from adopting 13 SEER as the new standard. Lower electricity bills for the consumer, less electricity consumption relieving some of the pressure on utility companies, our environment gets a break and the HVAC industry has the opportunity to better meet the needs of our customers.