Frequently Asked Questions
The reminder to do regular HVAC maintenance probably isn't a big surprise. Every year, your air conditioner and furnace should be inspected, cleaned, and tuned up. Spring is a good time to have your air conditioner serviced, while late summer or early fall just before the cold hits is a good time to have your furnace serviced. Typically, tune-ups include a complete inspection and lubrication of all moving parts, as well as condenser cleaning, removal of debris from the condensate drain tube, checking refrigerant levels, changing filters, inspecting the heat exchanger for cracks, and other measures that make your system safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting. Give us a call for more helpful information about what you can do to increase the longevity of your system.
It's not something we think about often, but keeping up with your air filters can save your lungs, your HVAC system, and your bank account. Whether you're trying to improve the air quality in your home or business for health reasons, or you want to cut down on energy and maintenance costs in your home, regular cleaning or replacing your HVAC filter is a cheap and easy step in your home maintenance routine. General recommendations are usually to change or clean your air filter every 1-3 months on average. Disposable filters should be tossed once used to their fullest extent, they are a cheap alternative using cardboard frames. It's always a good idea to keep some of these filters in your home throughout the year.
The very first thing to look at when purchasing a new filter for your HVAC system is the size of the filter. Buying a filter that is “close enough” to what your system needs will let dirt and dust escape into the air vents through holes and gaps between the air duct and filter. You may notice a MERV standard on many filters, the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) tells you how much dust and contaminants can pass through the filter. Ensure your filter is at the specified MERV standard, getting one too high runs the risk of burning the blower out on your HVAC unit. Learn more by giving our team at Universal Air, LLC a call today.
HVAC preventative maintenance is the act of providing proper care at regular intervals to minimize the probability of bigger problems in the long run for your system. Some tips on DIY maintenance include inspecting your condenser, being the most critical part of your AC system, you need to keep an eye for faults and mishaps. The condenser is typically found outside, but depending on the type it can be located in the garage or attic as well. It has copper tubes, which are sometimes covered by a foam layer. The condenser fins are where most of the debris will get stuck, and you need to carefully clean this away. Ideally, you could use a rough paintbrush to remove the debris that is easy to dislodge.
There are many ways to see if your HVAC system is operating effectively and safely. You can begin by checking your filters and either cleaning or replacing them. If your system isn't running, confirm you have not blown out a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker, high voltage breakers can shut a unit down. Sometimes a problem can be simple, such as needing new batteries for your thermostat. Investigate your unit to see if the blower is running properly, you can see or hear the fan moving in your unit and feel the air at the top. After ruling out all of these issues, calling our team at Universal Air, LLC can help identify a larger more complex issue.
The SEER rating measures air conditioning and heat pump cooling efficiency, which is calculated by the cooling output for a typical cooling season divided by the total electric energy input during the same time frame. A SEER rating is a maximum efficiency rating, similar to the MPG a car would have. The minimum in the Southwest and Southeast is 14 and it goes down to 13 in the North. Most older A/C systems are rated at around 8 or 9, so even the lowest available SEER rated system you buy today will be much more energy-efficient. Your HVAC technician should be able to recommend a unit that meets your requirements. Give us a call to ensure your SEER rating is adequate for what you need.