Your Blue Ash Furnace & Air Conditioning service professionals want to make sure our valued customers know all the HVAC basics. Owning a home comes with a plethora of responsibilities and required upkeep. In addition, your HVAC system is a complex piece of equipment that is essential for your and your family’s health and well-being. As a homeowner, knowing basic information about your units and the first principles of preventative maintenance will go a long way in increasing the lifespan of both your furnace and air conditioning systems.
These five key questions will help you as a homeowner trying to navigate their residential HVAC system:
1. When Should I Get My HVAC System Serviced?
Your heating and cooling units each need to be serviced once a year. Your furnace’s tune-up & safety check should take place in the fall, and your AC unit’s tune-up & safety should occur in the spring. We suggest maintenance checks be performed at the beginning of each season before the unit is heavily used. When you get your seasonal maintenance checks done, it ensures the system is still functioning correctly and works according to current safety regulations. When you book your maintenance check with Blue Ash Furnace & Air Conditioning, our NATE-certified technicians give a thorough inspection of your entire system and confirm there are no underlying issues. In addition, keeping up with your seasonal checks guarantees that your manufacturer’s warranty stays active.
2. How Do I Know When There is a Problem with My HVAC System?
Typically, when an HVAC system starts acting up, it makes unusual sounds, puts off unpleasant smells, or does not respond to specific thermostat settings. Therefore, it would be good to become familiar with how your HVAC system usually sounds and how fast or slow it takes to respond when you adjust a setting on the thermostat. This will prove beneficial when something odd does happen; that way, you can pinpoint when there may be an issue that needs attention.
3. In What Way Does Indoor Air Quality Affect My HVAC System?
Indoor air quality, also known as IAQ, is not only essential to keep at a healthy level for the sake of your and your family’s health. But poor indoor air quality can also be detrimental to your HVAC system. For example, when components of your HVAC system such as air filters, ductwork, and vents are clogged with air pollutants such as dust particles and pet dander, this can lead to your HVAC system overworking itself and causing issues like short cycling. This, of course, places extra stress on your system and decreases its overall efficiency and lifespan.
4. How Old is My HVAC System?
How old is your HVAC system? It is not uncommon for homeowners to be unaware of the exact age of their system, especially if you have not lived in your home for long and it had a previous owner. However, knowing exactly how old your furnace and your air conditioner units are is a significant thing to know. If anything suddenly happens and you need to make an informed decision for one of your units, basic information like this can be super helpful.
5. What Type of HVAC System Do I Have?
Another thing to consider is what type of furnace and air conditioner you have. Is your furnace gas or electric? Do you have centralized air? These are essential facts to know. With so many types of units on the market, knowing what types are used in your home is basic information every homeowner should know. But, of course, if you have no idea what kind of unit you have, that’s no problem either! Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians will check everything out when you schedule your next seasonal maintenance appointment with us!
We would love to serve as your trusted local heating & cooling service professionals. Blue Ash Furnace & Air Conditioning is here and ready to assist you with all your HVAC questions and concerns. Call us anytime. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year! You can contact us at (513) 216-5664 or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!