HVAC Maintenance And Repairs You Can Do Yourself
Posted on: 19 August 2016
If you have a central air conditioner and heater in your home, there may come times when you need to complete routine maintenance and repairs. While major repairs should be done by a professional HVAC technician, there are some maintenance tasks that you should be able to handle on your own. Consider doing some of the following DIY tasks for your home's HVAC system.
Change the Air Filter
To start with, changing the air filter is something that needs to be done on a regular basis. You can easily handle this on your own without doing any damage to the air conditioner unit. The HVAC system will have an air filter that collects all the dust, debris, and dander that would have otherwise gone into your home's air supply. By cleaning out the air filter, it doesn't get clogged and you don't have all that debris going through the vents. If the air filter is a disposable type, you can remove it and throw it away, replacing it with a new one. Some air filters are reusable and simply need to be cleaned, then put back where you found it.
Cleaning the Outside Unit
Part of maintenance for your HVAC system is making sure it is clean, and not just with the air filter. The exterior unit of the air conditioner and heater also gets buildup, debris, and dust that needs to be cleaned out. Start by cleaning the outside of this unit, removing any leaves, dirt, and twigs you find. Then open up the condenser unit and clean the inside of the unit, making sure the fins and coils don't have any dirt or buildup.
Straighten the Condenser Fins
If the condenser fins are bent, it can decrease how well the AC unit works. To straighten the fins, you need a fin comb, which you can get from a home improvement store. The combs usually come in different sizes, so you will need to measure the distance between each fin and get a comb that fits with those size fins. Place the comb between the fins and use an upward motion. This should straighten out the fins. Continue doing this for all of the condenser fins until they have all been straightened.
Other maintenance and repairs should be left to a technician like HomeSmart From Xcel Energy so you don't put yourself at risk or do accidental damage to your HVAC unit. This includes cleaning out the ducts, repairing the unit, and fixing problems with the thermostat.
Share