A Quick Guide to Avoiding Costly Furnace Repairs in Dayton

Both summer and winter come with extreme weather conditions, and the only way out is by ensuring that the HVAC unit is working efficiently. Unfortunately, the furnace may happen to breakdown and fail along the way, and when it happens, it can be a disaster.

First of all, it is quite inconveniencing because now you have to endure the extreme cold or heat in your house before it gets repaired or replaced. Secondly, you may not have planned for repair cost — nobody prepares for such. Again, having damage that requires a total replacement of the HVAC unit can be quite expensive.

Therefore, it is quite recommendable that you prevent the breakdown of the furnace early before it happens — it is a matter of proper maintenance. That said, here is an ultimate guide to help you avoid costly Dayton furnace repair.

1. Buy the Right AC Unit

They have always said that it is better to prevent than to cure. This is not only true for diseases only, but it can also apply to your HVAC unit or anything else you invest your money in. If you are buying an HVAC system, choose the right one from the word, go to avoid failure inconveniences along the way. Always go for the best quality regardless of the price because this is a long-term investment. In the long run, it will prove to be cheaper by avoiding frequent and costly repairs or replacement of the furnace altogether.

2. Ensuring Regular Checkups

The last thing you want is a surprise failure of the furnace you have today, and the only way to prevent it is by having regular checkups on it. Maintenance is a service that gets done on almost all machines, equipment, and home appliances — your furnace shouldn’t be an exemption. Hire a professional onsite HVAC contractor to come and examine the entire unit to ensure that it is operating efficiently and optimally. Some of the services to expect during the visit include:

    • Cleaning up of the coils
    • Check both the fan and the air filter
    • Cleaning up the drain lines
    • Ensuring that the refrigerant level is okay
    • Ensuring that there are no leaks from the AC unit, especially the furnace

HVAC maintenance can be a one-time thing, usually one year after you purchase the unit, or you can hire someone to come for annual checkups. The HVAC technician will keep the furnace working throughout the year and especially during summer and winter when you need it more.

3. Clean up the Air Filter

The air filter is one of the most sensitive components of the HVAC unit. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that it is cleaned up all the time. A dirty filter interferes with the efficiency of the AC system. If you are not sure how to clean it yourself, you should get a professional to clean it up for you and train you on how to do it or how often to clean it up. Sometimes filters may actually require a replacement, and your HVAC contractor should tell you when to do so. Otherwise, if you can keep it clean and free from contamination, you will save yourself costly repairs or replacements.

4. Clean up Debris From the Condenser

Since the condenser is usually kept outside the house, it is easy for it to get dirty by collecting debris out there. In this case, ensure that you clean it more often because you never know what this debris can do to the entire AC unit, neither do you know what they are until you open it.

Before you start cleaning, make sure that the entire unit is turned off and then open the panel to access the most inner parts. You can use a wet or dry vacuum to suck out the debris, and before you close it up, clean the coils too. Once you are done and satisfied, place the panel back. This maintenance will not take too much of your time, but it will save you unnecessary repair costs.

5. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

Today, we have programmable thermostats, thanks to technology advancement. All you need to do is to program it and leave it alone. What happens with such a device is that it will change temperatures based on the underlying heat conditions and time of the day, among other factors. This ensures the optimum efficiency of the furnace without your constant involvement.

The idea here is that if you were to keep on fidgeting the thermostat settings, it would be forced to work extra harder to keep up with the changes you input. Therefore, program it, and leave it alone — it will leave your wallet alone as well.

6. Check the Furnace Flames

Furnace flames are usually powered through propane or natural gases, and they should burn in blue. It is crucial to check on this aspect, and if the flames are burning in a different color, it could be a sign of a combustion problem. In this case, call a professional to check it up because the furnace could be overworking, leading to high energy consumption. It could also mean that the air is contaminated with carbon monoxide.

If the problem continues, the furnace could breakdown and cost you more money to replace it. A carbon monoxide detector could be a good investment too to ensure that you know when a problem starts.

7. Check the Refrigerators Levels

Refrigerant issues are one of the common reasons why many people go for HVAC technicians. Every HVAC system comes with a refrigerant liquid for it to operate efficiently. However, this liquid never gets used up, and if you check and find that it is abnormally low, there is an underlying problem. Either the refrigerant is leaking or evaporating, but this shouldn’t be the case. Therefore, keep on checking the coolant levels to avoid dealing with a significant problem in the future.

The Bottom Line

Maintaining your furnace or HVAC unit is essential for every household. You not only ensure continuous and efficient cooling in the house, but it also keeps away regular unnecessary repairs. Other benefits include low utility bills, improved efficiency, healthier air, and a longer lifespan of the air conditioning system.


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