Sunday, September 29, 2013

Heating And Cooling Unit Maintenance Guide

By Frank Smalls


Among the most important of all systems in a home would be heating and air conditioning unit. The reason you have such a system is for the purpose of making the interior of a home a lot more enjoyable to stay in, at least temperature wise, but routine maintenance is required for effectively ensuring such an outcome is achieved. When you maintain the system, you can help extend its life. Long before the system stops functioning, you will see the unit starting to fail and also require a lot more energy to keep the temperature in the home to remain comfortable. Many of these components that make up the system do require a lot of regular maintenance.

Indoor Coil and Filters

When you ponder changing an air filter, you will probably be focused on air quality, but with modern air conditioner, an air filter serves another purpose. The filter protects the indoor coil of the unit and is critical to keep it clean to promote proper air flow. As cooling occurs, condensation will form on the coil and dirt can end up being carried in the drain pan. A great deal of buildup might clog the drain causing an overflow. Also, the refrigerant runs through the coil so it is vital the right air flow is maintained. A dirty coil or filter can restrict air flow in the system, which undermines proper heat transfer. Over time, this gets worse and a system becomes an energy drain that is not efficient. A lot of strain is also added to the fan motor and compressor and this can lead to a short AC lifespan.

Condenser Coils

At the outdoor of the section for the system will reveal the condenser coil, and this would be where the actual heat transfer is to take place. When the heat transfer is done the right way, the pressure of the refrigerant will be lower and the compressor will not suffer from being overworked. There is no filtering system with this type of coil so it becomes necessary use the right cleaning method to be sure things are done the right way.

Proper Lubrication

As is the case with every machine, it is critical to make sure all the moving parts in it have been well lubricated. Only a well trained technician truly knows what parts of the system have to be lubricated via routine maintenance along with also knowing what type of lubricant has to be used.

Electrical Connections

An AC unit houses a huge number of electrical components. As time goes on and the system has experienced a lot of use, the connections can become loose and worn, which contributes to head buildups. A unit might very well malfunction and this creates a major fire hazard. A great many will realize their system offers a high risk of failure during extreme temperature seasons so before those months arrive, a expert should be called in to look at electrical connections.

Refrigerant

Air conditioning units will need to contain a type of refrigerant. To maintain the correct level of refrigerant in the unit is a must because levels that are too high or too low can ruin the compressor. A technician must check all refrigerant levels as a form of routine maintenance. The machine is not the only reason the refrigerant is used so if you see a low level, a leak elsewhere in the system is present.

Ducts

It would be critically imperative to ensure the duct-work is the right size for the system in the home. A host of problems will arise when a duct system is not in good order. No matter how good the equipment is, when ductwork is faltering, the home will not be heated or cooled correctly. The more time passes, the duct system ends up shifting and settling and that leads to gaps and leaks shall emerge in the duct-work. Once you take the steps to be sure the duct-work is inspected and cut down on wasted energy going into the attic.

As with all other machines, your cooling and heating system will eventually wear out. Preventive maintenance only goes so far and it cannot stop all breakdowns so you will eventually have to replace the unit. A proper maintenance can prolong the life of a system ensuring it runs effectively for as long as possible.




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