May has arrived in Texas, so it’s time for music, weddings, Cinco de Mayo, and the first waves of summertime heat and humidity. In a state where the daily summer temperature hovers between “well-done” and “nuclear,” you know how hard it is to cool your home while not overheating your electricity bills. Don’t sweat it – our Summer Prep Series will show you how to get your home ready for summer, save energy, and keep your cool.
Make Sure Your HVAC in is Good Condition before Summer Arrives
Most of us don’t pay attention to our home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system until something goes wrong. While that’s somewhat understandable (since most of us aren’t Hvac professionals or mechanically inclined), you should want to ensure your home and family will stay cool and comfortable when the heat of summer finally gets here
In this installment of our Summer Prep Series, we’ll review how you can save money by keeping your Hvac System running at peak performance. We’ll guide you through an easy do-it-yourself inspection routine. Lastly, we’ll describe how an annual inspection by an HVAC professional can help keep your HVAC system tuned up and running smoothly for years.
Why an HVAC Inspection is Important
Your home’s HVAC system consumes approximately 47% of your monthly electric bill. Over the course of the year, you could potentially spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on air conditioning, especially when you factor in the expense of heating and cooling your home and the the repairs you might face if you neglect proper maintenance. Dirt, dust, vibration can all create poor operating conditions that damage motors, compressors, relays, and sensors. All these can make your HVAC run less efficiently and add to your cooling bills.
Generally, home HVAC systems (including heat pumps) have two main components:
1) A compressor and condenser coil housed in the unit outside the house; and
2) An expansion valve and evaporator coils are mounted above the furnace heater inside the house.
How Does Air Conditioning Work?
Air conditioning works by cycling a refrigerant through the outside unit where it’s compressed to give up heat. The gas then travels inside the house, and here, the gas decompresses and chills the air blown by the blower fan. The refrigerant gas also absorbs the heat from the air. The gas is then pumped back outside again to be compressed to give up heat.
How to Conduct a Do-It-Yourself HVAC Inspection
IMPORTANT: Always shut down your HVAC system before doing any inspection or undertaking any repairs.
For the system to work properly, both ends of the cooling and heat absorption need to have adequate airflow.
Outside, the condenser fan must move lots of air to cool the refrigerant. Dirt and dust clogging the cooling fins, leaves, or other debris blocking the fan make the system run longer and use more energy.
- Clear away weeds, leaves, and other debris from around the outside.
- Rinse cooling fins with hose by spraying from the inside outwards.
- Use foaming condenser coil spray to dissolve stubborn gunk.
- Remove the fan grate and clear any branches or debris from inside.
- Inspect unit for corrosion and damage. The fan should turn freely.
- Fan-shaped rust patterns on the unit may indicate a dog is urinating on it. This could corrode the cooling fins. Putting up a short wire fence about a foot or two out from the unit and all the way around it will give the dog something else to mark.
Inside, be sure to change the furnace filter with one that meets the manufacturer’s recommended filter rating (MERV). Dirty, clogged air filters are the most common cause HVAC problems. Installing a clean air filter can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%. Also be sure to inspect for the following:
- Loose wiring connections. Wiring harnesses should have firm and snug connections and be secured out of the way with tape or a zip tie.
- Dust on the blower motor and fan. Blowers collect heavy coats of dust on their blades and the motor itself, restricting the air flow and increasing wear to motor. Vacuum or wipe the entire fan unit clean.
- Lots of dust in the fan housing. This indicates that air is getting in past the air filter. Look for gaps or holes and cover with aluminum duct tape.
- Squeaking or vibration when the fan is running. If you hear such noises, look for loose mounting screws and tighten them into place. Too much vibration can eventually shake apart loose wiring connections.
Over years, dust and dirt can collect on the evaporator coils inside the furnace heat exchanger. Not only does this reduce efficiency, but condensing water can run straight over the sides of the condensation tray. Carefully cleaning these coils will improve efficiency. Remember that the fins on evaporator coil can be delicate so use extra care while cleaning:
- Turn off the HVAC system. Find and remove the access panel.
- Use foaming condenser coil spray to dissolve stubborn gunk.
- CAREFULLY use a soft brush vacuum nozzle to clean out any dust from the coils.
- Replace access panel.
When humid air hits the cold evaporator coils, water condenses and trickles down into the condensate tray. From there it flows out the condensate drain tube. If there is a clog in the condensate tubing, the water can back up into the tray and overflow, making a big mess —especially if your system is located in your attic.
- Disconnect the tube from the condensate tray
- Carefully insert a small bottle brush to ream out this connection.
- Pour a little bleach or white vinegar down the condensation drain pipe to kill any mold or mildew that may cause it to clog.
Benefits of Calling in an HVAC Professional
Trained, licensed technicians are familiar with a variety of HVAC systems. By having a professional perform a seasonal checkup, you’ll learn the most about the condition of your home’s HVAC system. They know the signs of wear that indicate problems down the road as well as models with troublesome design features. A yearly preventative maintenance inspection can also identify less obvious problems that are already costing you money:
- Blower motor bearings in need of lubrication
- Slowly leaking coolant from the AC system
- Poor compressor performance.
A yearly maintenance inspection keeps your HVAC running like new and improves your energy savings. Plus, they’ll perform a multi-point safety check to verify your system’s safe operation. The best way to keep your HVAC efficient and reliable is to have it inspected by a licensed technician before you really need it.
With summer already building up a full head of steam, taking a few minutes to conduct an HVAC tuneup before summer is an easy way to keep your cool. After all, it’s your hard-earned money.
Stay Tuned for Summer Prep Series, Part 4 — Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Projects.
