Why is HVAC Maintenance Important

Why is HVAC maintenance important? Well, for many of the same reasons that maintaining your vehicle is important! Like your vehicle, or any machine for that matter, a heating and cooling system will last longer with proper maintenance. Let’s dive into some of the reasons why.

Proper HVAC Maintenance Saves Money

While this may sound counterintuitive (there is a cost of money, or of time for the do-it-yourselfers out there), you will save money by maintaining your HVAC system. Regular checks on your system will:

Prevent costly breakdowns
Reduce energy bills
Extend the life of your system, and
Keep your system under warranty.

A costly breakdown of a heating and cooling system is no fun. Much like having a vehicle break down, it never happens conveniently. We have all been there: A/C or heat goes out during a holiday gathering, and unless you can find a service provider that can come out on the holidays, you could be days before you get your system repaired. So not only is a breakdown expensive, it is potentially embarrassing.

Regarding energy bills: regular maintenance on your system is much like an oil change on your car. You will get a lot more “mileage” from your system if it is maintained to operate at peak efficiency. Naturally, this will extend the life of your system just as an oil change will extend the life of an engine.

As far as the warranty is concerned: It is important to note that most HVAC manufacturers require proof of annual maintenance when a repair claim is submitted. So when folks ask, “why is HVAC maintence important?” this is often our response. This Fortunately, Brooks Heating and Air has a Comfort Club that takes care of this requirement.

Improve Your Air Quality

The EPA reports that indoor levels of airborne pollutants can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels. This is particularly problematic if you have family members with asthma or other respiratory ailments. We aren’t aware of it day to day, we share our homes with a lot of particulates we would rather not breathe. Our article on air purification covers this in greater depth, but consider that if your filters aren’t taken care of, YOU are the filter.

Improve Your Comfort

You depend on your heating and cooling system to keep your family comfortable. Regular maintenance helps your system properly distribute the warm or cool air evenly and steadily. Neglecting this maintenance, however, could mean that you walk into your home with your furnace blowing cold air or your A/C blowing warm air.

It can be easy to take maintenance for granted. It can also be easy to fall into a pattern of thinking that a particular room is just too hot or too cold at certain times of the year. However, preventative steps like cleaning the ductwork can help ensure the proper distribution of heat and cooling.

Keep Your Home Safer

Have you ever left your house on vacation during winter, only to return to burst pipes? If not, chances are you know someone who has. If you’re away from home and your heat fails, it can cause a domino effect that can lead to burst pipes. The same kind of thing can happen in the summertime. An A/C failure can overtax appliances that need to cool themselves off. Refrigerators and computers are especially susceptible to this kind of thing.

Carbon Monoxide can also become a problem if your system isn’t properly maintained. It is wise, of course to have a carbon monoxide monitor in your house, but a cracked heat exchanger can lead to a leak. All of these concerns are preventable if you properly maintain your system.

Protect The Environment

A well maintained system is, naturally, more energy efficient. Not only are reduced energy costs good for your wallet, they are good for the environment. A system that uses less electricity to heat or cool a home is one that is helping reduce our carbon footprint.

In a separate article on programmable thermostats, we talked about the benefits of using such units to reduce costs. These thermostats are particularly helpful if you go on vacation, or have family members who like to sneak the temperature up or down. Again, reduced energy usage means a healthier environment!