PREPPING YOUR HVAC SYSTEM

A Homeowner's Guide To Prepping Your HVAC System For Summer

By Jonathan Beyer with Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating, LLC

With summer knocking on our central Texas doorstep, we took the opportunity to sit down with Jonathan Beyer from Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating to get his best tips and advice on caring for our HVAC units during these hot summer months. Here ’ s what we learned:

GNBHBA: Are there any must-do tasks we need to be taking care of now before the heat of summer arrives? BEYER: Changing your filters monthly throughout the year is a good start. A dirty or clogged filter inhibits airflow which can result in the unit freezing up, water leaks, water damage, decreased performance of your unit, and indoor air quality issues.

GNBHBA: That seems easy enough. Anything else we should do? BEYER: It’ s important to service and clean your condensate drain. This drain removes the condensate your coil produces in the cooling cycle and can get clogged if not cleaned regularly. A clogged drain could result in your unit shutting off, and potential water damage. This is one of the first things we inspect on these types of visits. If you ’ re not comfortable cleaning your own condensate drain, get a licensed contractor to conduct this preventive maintenance for you.

GNBHBA: Is there a way for us to know when it’ s time to replace versus repair our unit? BEYER: The average life expectancy is 10-12 years on an HVAC system. Once it gets around that time you need to start thinking about replacing it. When you get into repairing an older system there is potential that you could end up investing more to repair than replace. You should also think about more downtime if your system is in need of constant repair. Nobody wants that during the Texas summer heat. GNBHBA: If we suddenly find ourselves with a system that won ’t cool, is there anything we can do or check ourselves before calling the pros? BEYER: There are 3 main things a pro would check immediately upon arrival, and you can also do these to rule them out first. To start, check your filter; if it is noticeably dirty, try replacing it and see if that solves the problem. Next, check your breaker panels to see if the breaker tied to your HVAC unit is tripped. This can often be caused by power interruptions and will result in a system that doesn ’t operate at all. Most houses have breakers at the indoor unit and at the outdoor unit. Third, we already mentioned drain maintenance: You can pour vinegar in the primary condensate drain at the indoor unit. Typically we suggest ½ a cup of undiluted vinegar. This needs to be done every month in the spring and summer and every other month in fall and winter to keep that drain flowing well.

GNBHBA: Do you have any tips for energy savings this time of year? BEYER: Do not turn thermostats off during the day when you leave. Also, don ’t raise them more than 4 degrees higher than your normal set point. This can cause your unit to have a longer run time during peak usage periods. Any larger differential will cause your unit to run overtime as it tries to cool back down once you lower the set point again. And keep those filters clean!

GNBHBA: Any last words of advice? BEYER: When in doubt, bring out a Licensed HVAC professional to assess your system so that you don ’t risk causing further damage. By maintaining your system and having regular professional inspections, you can ensure that your system remains running in pristine condition.