October 9, 2013

Just like prevention is key in health care, prevention is also key when it comes to taking care of your HVAC system.

Maintaining your HVAC system is extremely important. There are things you can and should be doing on your own – like checking and changing the filter. But scheduling regular maintenance on your HVAC systems is extremely important.  With HVAC, prevention is key.

If you notice that your HVAC system is not functioning properly, first you should check the filter. A clogged filter is oftentimes the source of the problem and thankfully is one of the easiest fixes there are.

Why regular maintenance?

Just like prevention is key in health care, prevention is also key when it comes to taking care of your heating and cooling system. HVAC systems have multiple components that must all be functioning properly in order to provide heating and cooling and air circulation for your home. For everything to be functioning smoothly, the system will need to be cleaned and inspected on a regular basis. Failing to do so may lead to larger problems that will then be more expensive to fix. The times of the year when people rely on their HVAC systems the most – summer and winter – are when problems are going to arise if the system has not been properly maintained throughout the year.

Most service calls that HVAC companies respond to during the summer and winter could actually have been prevented with regular maintenance throughout the rest of the year.

If you make sure to maintain your system on a regular basis, this preventative maintenance will ensure that your system is trouble-free and will be functioning at full capacity when you need it to the most.

Some common problems

Clogged drain lines underneath a furnace are a fairly common problem. Water can collect underneath the furnace in the drain pan which is located below the evaporator coil. Over time this collects dirt and sludge that can build up. HVAC professionals will make sure that the furnace is inspected and they will flush out the drain pan and the drain lines with hot water and bleach in order to ensure that everything is clean and cleared out.

Another issue that can arise is a weak dual capacitor that causes an outdoor fan or compressor to be unable to run properly. When technicians perform maintenance procedures they will use specialty multi-meters to test the strength of the dual capacitor and replace them if they are weak. This is far preferable to finding out there is a problem only when they stop working altogether.

A very common problem is an air conditioner that runs but is not actually producing cool air. Instead, you may feel warm air coming out of your air conditioner. This is obviously the exact opposite of what you want your air conditioner to be doing. The problem is usually caused by a clogged air filter. Regularly replacing the filter will help avoid this issue.

Contact St. Louis HVAC

Scott-Lee Heating Company offers Preventative Maintenance Agreements for customers who want to keep their systems running at peak performance. When your heating and cooling equipment runs efficiently, you save energy. Call us today at (314) 200-0788 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free estimate.