4 HVAC Habits for New Homeowners

Prevent things from breaking in the first place with a little home HVAC maintenance. Here’s a list of four HVAC habits every homeowner should get to regularly:

1. Fix Air Leaks and Control Humidity

When your HVAC system isn’t efficient, it probably has to do with air leaks around your home. The more air leaks you have—outer walls, windows, doors, and other openings—the more money you will spend on heating and cooling your home. The extra stress and strain on your system will also lead to premature failure and a lower lifespan.

Make sure you inspect your window and door caulking and weatherstripping at least once a year. Sealing air leaks and improving insulation will also help reduce outside noise, improve humidity control, and keep outside pollen and pollution from entering your living space. Learn how to insulate and winterize your home and HVAC system.

If you do make significant insulation improvements, speak with a professional HVAC company about proper ventilation levels. A too-tight home may be energy-efficient, but it can also be unhealthy and dangerous.

While there are plenty of ways you can inspect and improve the insulation and ventilation in your home, the quickest and easiest way is to speak with your trusted HVAC technician on the matter.

2. Schedule HVAC Maintenance Twice a Year (Better Yet, Sign Up for Home Maintenance Plan)

When you forget to schedule professional HVAC maintenance twice a year, you’re asking for trouble. Forget about expensive repairs and a lower life expectancy of your HVAC system, not scheduling annual maintenance means that your HVAC warranty is no longer valid!

To ensure regularly scheduled professional tune-ups—one in the fall and one in the spring—we highly recommend signing up for a home maintenance plan, such as our acclaimed Green Club.

Here are 3 very good reasons why you should sign up for a heating and cooling maintenance plan:

1. Keeps HVAC Warranty Intact

Most furnace manufacturers will void your warranty if you don’t’ schedule annual professional maintenance.

2. Keeps Energy Bills Down

A professional makes sure your furnace is clean, all connections are tight, and everything is working properly and at maximum efficiency. This significantly reduces your energy bill as a result. 

3. Prevents Repairs and Extends Furnace Lifespan

When you have a professional checking up on things, you can catch problems before they start. Hire a trusted professional with extended experience and know-how and you might even be able to double the expected lifespan of your HVAC system. We’ve seen some clients of ours with air conditioners that are over 30 years old.

3. Check/Change Air Filters Every 30 Days

Not changing your air filters will not only reduce your heating efficiency, but it may prevent your furnace from working at all. Not only is it bad for your HVAC unit, but it is also bad for your indoor air quality. Especially if you have pets, but even if you don’t, a dirty air filter makes respiratory, asthma, and allergy problems even worse.

Let’s assume you know that, at a minimum, it is important to change your air filters on a regular basis. Of course, the frequency of how often you change them depends on many factors, but we can discuss that another time. Changing your HVAC systems air filters is Preventive Maintenance 101 and should not be missed. However, it’s important to dive a little deeper than that.

4. Don’t Turn Thermostat Off When Leaving Home

One common homeowner mistake is to turn the heating or cooling system off instead of simply adjusting the temperature. Sometimes, a new homeowner will think they are saving money by shutting down the system for an extended stay away. When they arrive back home, however, they may be in for a rude surprise, such as frozen pipes and humidity damage.

Don’t make these common new homeowner mistakes! Use this as an inspiration to make some good HVAC habits.

Contact Fix-It 24/7 to get your plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems inspected. Remember, prevention is the best cure… especially for your home.