HVAC Care Tips from Your Trusted Air Conditioning Service Provider | Richardson, TX
Whether you are a new homeowner or have had your home for some time, you will understand the joy of having a comfortable space to return to after a long day of work. With this understanding comes the realization that your home comprises different functional parts and systems that keep it the hub of tranquility. The backbone of your Richardson, TX home is the drainage system, plumbing system, electrical system, and HVAC system. Therefore, the best way to enjoy a quality living space and avoid costly repairs is by ensuring that these systems, especially those prone to breakdowns, get regular maintenance and servicing.
Getting your AC unit regular servicing and maintenance is crucial, especially just before the summer season commences. This is because the AC unit is heavily used during these hot months. Nothing is as disappointing and unconfirmable as having to spend a hot summer day in a house with a broken AC or one that keeps on stopping. Therefore, ensure to get your scheduled air conditioning service closer to the start of summer or the end of winter as possible. You will usually not need your AC unit service during this period and will be adequately prepared for the summer.
However, it is also vital to note that having a regular air conditioning service for your Richardson, TX home does not cover all the bases. Your AC unit will still run into unforeseen issues. Therefore, to ensure that the air conditioning service lasts, you must take extra steps to care for your HVAC system. Some of the steps and tricks to care for your AC unit include:
Clean the Exposed Parts
As a homeowner, taking apart the AC system in your home is not advisable. This is because the AC system comprises many different parts. Therefore, if you accidentally dismantle a piece and forget to screw it back on, you could damage the entire system. Additionally, since the AC system is connected to the electricity, it poses a hazardous danger to you as you take it apart. Hence, leave all the dismantling and assembling of the AC system to the air conditioning service experts as they are both skilled and trained to do so.
However, this does not mean you cannot clean any part of the unit and must wait for the air conditioning service to do it. Instead, you can try and clean the part can. First, clean the reachable parts of the unit, such as air ducts, while exercising caution. You can also dust the vents and ducts and vacuum them regularly. Additionally, you can clean the system’s fins with a soft-bristle brush. This ensures that the dust does not end up clogging the air filters.
It also boosts the AC’s performance since dirt and dust easily block airflow, forcing the system to work harder. To be on the safe side, you can ask the air conditioning service technician to show you which parts are safe for you to clean and how you should clean them. During the inquiry, the technician will also advise you on which types of cleaning products are best for this purpose.
Change the Air Filters Regularly
The air filter is the most integral part of your home AC unit. It traps dust and dirt particles, ensuring they do not circulate back into the system. Therefore, although it is changed during the air conditioning service, this might not be enough. Especially if you love blasting your AC unit throughout the day and night of the hot summer seasons, the air filters will gather dirt quite fast. The rate of change of your air filter also depends on your environment.
For example, your air filter will need constant changing if our Richardson, TX home is in a dust region. Therefore, changing your air filter at least once a month, even after visiting the AC repair service provider, is advisable, considering your usage and location. However, if you are unsure how long your air filter should last before changing it, you can ask the air condition service technician for advice or keep a regular eye to establish a pattern.
Additionally, ask the technician to teach you how to change the air filter to be on the safer side. This will also ensure that the technician does not have to come whenever you need an air filter change. You could also opt to learn it yourself with the guidance of the owner’s manual. However, if your air filter gets dirty too quickly, it could mean you have the wrong air filter type installed. Therefore, you need to get a more durable air filter.
A Quick Look at the Different Types of Air Filters in the Market
Due to the complex nature of air filters, you might not have the knowledge to choose the right one for your home. However, you can solve this in either of the following two ways. First, you can seek help from your air conditioning service technician to pick the best one. Although in most cases, technicians choose the air filters based on their Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV).
MERV is a scale that ranges from 1 to 16, but most air filters in residential houses fall between 4 and 13. The most important thing to understand about the MERV is that the higher the rating, the better it filters contaminants from your home’s air supply. Therefore, the second way of knowing the best-suited air filter for your home is by matching the MERV rating with one from the market.
Air filters have a range of limitations and benefits. Therefore, before picking a type for your home, it is crucial to learn and understand them. Apart from using a professional air conditioning service installer’s help, this is the only way to choose the right HVAC system. If you want your Richardson, TX home to have enhanced indoor air quality, you can choose from any of the following options in the market.
Pleated Filters
An air conditioning service expert can also recommend the pleated filters for you. These filters are manufactured using cotton and polyester fabric to remove pollutants in the air like mold spores, dust particles, and pet dander. The pleated filters also have folds in the air filtration unit, enhancing their filtration efficiency. As a result, these filters have a MERV rating of between 5 and 13. The pleated filters are available in either washable or disposable forms.
High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filters (HEPA)
The other air filter worth your consideration is the HEPA filter. These filters have outstanding indoor air quality since they can remove up to 99.97 % of contaminants in the supply air, including pollen, allergens, bacteria, and dust. Additionally, HEPA diameter specifications of 0.3 microns perfect its capability to filter out particles of all sizes leaving the air clean and healthy for the inhabitants of your Richardson, TX home.
To top it off, an air conditioning service expert can install these air filters in your existing HVAC system without adjustments. Unfortunately, HEPA filters, like UV filters, cannot eliminate odors, fumes, and gasses from the air in your home. However, the HEPA filtration system is cost-effective. Thus you can purchase it as soon as you need an upgrade to a higher efficient type.
Electrostatic Air Filtration Units
The electrostatic filter is made of paper cotton and fibers that create a static charge which attracts pollutants in the air supply. The force in the filtration system efficiently stops the contaminants from circulating in your home’s air.
Although these filters are cost-effective, they may fail to filter large particles such as mold spores and dust leaving your family members exposed to allergies. A skilled air conditioning service technician is best suited to help you select between the disposable and reusable magnetic filters. This decision should also be informed by your preference between cleaning them or disposing of them after use.
UV Filters
UV filters use ultraviolet light to destroy bacteria and viruses that might enter your home through the heating and cooling system. Therefore, air conditioning service installers use them to kill or eliminate microorganisms such as spores and mold. These filters have UV lamps that disinfect the air using germicidal radiation, leaving only clean air throughout your home. However, it is essential to note that UV filters can threaten your household when they let oxygen transform into ozone gas. NASA explains that ozone is a dangerous gas that can harm plants and humans.
In addition, the gas contains harmful components that expose humans to the danger of asthmatic problems and skin cancer. The other major disadvantage of UV filters is their inefficiency in removing smoke, fumes, and gasses from the air. However, despite their shortcomings, an air conditioning service technician would recommend them due to their exceptional air quality enhancing capabilities.
Washable Filters
The other mention-worthy air filter in the market is the washable filter. An air conditioning service technician can recommend these for your Richardson, TX home since they are long-term filters; the washable filter does not need replacement. However, they require regular cleaning by a professional to maintain optimum functionality. Although these filters are environmentally friendly, their MERV ratings are considerably low, making them unsuitable for eliminating pollutants from your home through the heating and cooling unit.
One of the outstanding advantages of the washable filters is that you only buy them once and use them for as many years as you want, considering it gets proper maintenance. Unfortunately, the washable filter has a high initial cost. However, it is also crucial to note that an air conditioning service installer should only re-install these filters after they are fully dry to avoid moisture build-up that gives room for mold growth in your AC unit.
Turn On the Fans
The other important tip for prolonging the life span of your AC system is turning on the fans whenever possible. Since fans are an alternate way of cooling the house, they can sometimes be used as substitutes for the AC system. This gives your AC system some time off; thus, it does not have to run for long periods. Therefore, if the temperatures are moderately hot, turn the fan to cool off the house and switch your AC system off.
Additionally, you can use the fans in the place as helpers to your AC unit. On days that the temperatures are extreme, you can switch both the fan and the AC unit on. This ensures that the AC system does not over-exert itself by carrying all the load on its own. Consequently, you will have a comfortable temperature, and your AC will be working efficiently.
Get a Programmable Thermostat
One of the methods of prolonging your home’s AC lifespan and managing the maintenance done by the AC service technician is to ensure that your AC system does not run when it is not needed. In addition, you can prolong the period between one air condition service to the next by cutting down the time and load capacity on your Ac system.
A smart programmable thermostat will help you achieve this by automatically adjusting the temperature settings of a room. For instance, if the room is set to cool or heat to a given temperature, the programmable thermostat will automatically turn off the AC system when the temperature is achieved. This keeps the system from running for long hours when unnecessary.
Additionally, a smart programmable thermostat will also help you control the AC system such that you can turn it off when you are not in the house and on when you are on your way home. Since many types of thermostats are available in the market, finding the right can be challenging. Some thermostats are equipped with geofencing technology to detect your location based on your phone.
Picking the best thermostat for your home will make a big difference for your household since they self-regulate their energy usage and performance. Programmable thermostats are very important, so much so that air conditioning service experts emphasize the importance of installing one in your home since it gives your AC system resting time.
Get an air conditioning service technician annually to prolong your AC system’s lifespan and boost efficiency. In addition, these services will help eradicate any upcoming problems before they are too severe. Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas today if you need an air conditioning service provider in Richardson, TX.