It is incredibly important to ensure that you provide the appropriate maintenance to your air ducts. This helps to ensure that your home remains more comfortable and that the air ducts continue to function as they are intended to. It is important to know the right maintenance that your air ducts require to protect the level of comfort inside of your building. Here are a few maintenance tips for your air ducts.

Signs that your Air Ducts Require Maintenance

Familiarizing yourself with the signs that your air ducts require maintenance will help to ensure that maintenance is completed before costly repairs arise. There are many signs that your air duct system isn’t functioning quite as it is intended to. For example, uneven temperatures throughout the building may indicate that there are air leaks or other issues with the heating and cooling system. Excessive dust suddenly appearing in the home is another sign that your air ducts require maintenance. Additional signs that maintenance is necessary include rattling noises, specific rooms that won’t cool or heat efficiently, and unexpected increases in energy expenses.

Benefits of Superior Air Duct Maintenance

Though air duct maintenance can seem like an unnecessary expense, it provides a multitude of benefits to your building. Regular air duct maintenance can help to remove dust and ensure that it continues to function effectively. This tends to provide much higher air quality inside of the home. This maintenance will help to find issues early on, which helps to prolong the overall lifetime of the systems inside of your building. Air duct systems that receive regular maintenance often work far more efficiently than systems that are neglected.

Inspect your Air Ducts Regularly

It is important to set time aside to inspect your air ducts on a regular basis. This will help you to identify when air leaks or other issues are present inside of the air ducts. It is especially important to regularly check for the presence of mold inside of your air ducts. When mold grows in these areas, the spores will be spread throughout the air inside of your building, which can have devastating health consequences.

Change your Filters Regularly

The air filters of your heating and cooling systems help to filter harmful pollutants out of the air inside of your building. However, this also means that these particles accumulate on the filter, which makes it more difficult for air to penetrate through their surface. It is most often recommended that you change your air filter every 30-90 days. Various other factors can increase the frequency of recommended air filter changes. These factors include things such as people inside of the house with asthma or allergies, as well as the presence of pets inside of the building.

Use Efficient Air Filters

It is incredibly beneficial to implement efficient air filters. The air filter that you use will have a large impact on the quality of the air inside of your building. When you use highly efficient air filters, your system will be more capable of filtering harmful particles out of the air of the building. These air filters can go a long way toward improving the total level of comfort inside of the building.

Have your System Regularly Serviced

It is extremely beneficial to obtain the services of a professional when it comes to regular maintenance on your air ducts and heating and cooling system. These professional services, such as seasonal tune-ups, can help the system to remain in the best possible condition for prolonged periods of time. These services also help to reduce the likelihood of problems arising. In addition, when problems do arise, regular professional services help to ensure that these problems can be found in the early stages, before they are allowed to escalate to far more expensive and serious issues.

Clean Frequently

It is very important to clean your air ducts on a regular basis. You should take the steps to remove dust, grime, and other particles from in and around your air ducts. You may also want to consider having your air duct system cleaned professionally on a regular basis. These services will help to increase the comfort level inside of the building and will often provide a far more thorough cleaning than you would be able to accomplish on your own. This is just one of the steps that you should take to keep your air ducts in great condition.

Prevent Vents from Being Blocked

It is important to take the steps necessary to prevent your air vents from becoming blocked. Vents can become blocked in multiple ways, whether from being covered by furniture, blocked by curtains, or remaining closed. When this occurs, the system will work overtime in order to do its job. This causes the system to wear down more quickly and can result in damage to the system. It is important to take the steps to ensure that your air vents aren’t blocked.

Keep them Free of Moisture

Moisture can lead to damage to the air ducts inside of your building. Not only can it cause corrosion, but it also creates an environment in which mold is more capable of growing. It is critical to prevent moisture from intruding into your air ducts. This means that you need to have potential leaks sealed in your air ducts to prevent external moisture from penetrating into the system. It is similarly important to ensure that your air ducts receive adequate insulation to keep them protected and functioning effectively.

Regular maintenance can make a world of difference to the effectiveness of your air duct system. When you provide this maintenance, you will find that the environment is far more comfortable and the system remains in better condition. Here at Custom Comfort, we are passionate about providing you with the services that you need to maintain a comfortable home and high-functioning heating and cooling system. To learn more about the necessary maintenance for your air ducts, contact us at Custom Comfort today!

When heating and cooling systems have insufficient air flow, it will be important to identify the issue and have it resolved. This can help to save money and ensure that your building maintains a higher level of comfort. Here are a few considerations that can help you to improve air flow through your vents.

Why you Need to Improve Air Flow

Insufficient air flow leads to a broad array of problems. It can cause a building to be difficult to heat or cool and can result in uneven temperatures throughout the building. This causes incredibly uncomfortable environments. In addition, restricted air flow often causes a heating and cooling system to have to work harder. This leads to much higher energy bills and increased wear on the system. This increased wear tends to result in more expensive repair costs over time. Taking the steps to improve the air flow of your building can go a long way toward protecting the HVAC system from this enhanced level of damage.

Problems that Cause Low Pressure

In order to resolve the air flow issues on your property, you will need to identify the underlying cause. Once the problem has been identified, you can take the steps to fix the issue and restore your air flow to an efficient level of pressure. This will make it easier to sufficiently heat and cool your home. Here are some of the common problems that result in low air pressure from your heating and cooling systems.

Overly Efficient Air Filters

It is crucial to ensure that your air filters are at the right level of efficiency to ensure that your HVAC system continues to function effectively. In most situations, more efficiency is better. However, ultra-efficient air filters can easily become clogged as they filter the air. This can substantially reduce the air flow within the building. Consult with our experts to identify the best kind of air filter for your HVAC system. This should maintain the perfect balance between filtering the air of your system and ensuring that it can flow properly through the ductwork.

Dirty or Clogged Air Filters

The air of your heating and cooling system necessarily passes through an air filter. This filter helps to remove dust, debris, and harmful particles and prevent them from circulating through the air of your home. Unfortunately, this also means that an air filter will become dirty or clogged over time. It is important to ensure that the air filter is replaced on a regular basis. Once a filter becomes clogged, it will be far more difficult for air to move through the filter. This often results in reduced or inadequate air flow. Additionally, the replacing of the air filter will help to protect the quality of the air within the building.

Blocked or Crushed Ductwork

Ductwork is intended to help air to travel from the furnace to the vents of the property. When issues occur with the ductwork, it is possible that it will have a detrimental impact on the air pressure. For example, crushed ductwork tends to cause more friction as it attempts to force the air through a smaller opening. This causes the air to slow and lose pressure. In addition, blockages in the ductwork can prevent the air from reaching the vents altogether. If you are experiencing low air pressure, it is crucial to examine your ductwork and ensure that there are no issues.

Ineffectively Planned Ductwork

Effective planning is key in ensuring that ductwork effectively distributes air through the property. This means that ductwork needs to be installed correctly and needs to be the appropriate size. When ductwork is too small, it makes it more difficult for the air to flow effectively through the system. However, there are still issues with the ductwork being too large. This makes it more difficult to efficiently move air through the system. When the ductwork is carefully planned and installed, the heating and cooling system will function far more effectively. This can be incredibly beneficial for the comfort level within a building.

Leaks in the Ducts

Leaks are very common in the ductwork of a property. They allow air to slowly leak from the ductwork, before the air is able to reach its destination. This causes the final pressure to be substantially reduced, which can make it difficult for the system to function effectively. It is crucial to examine your ductwork regularly to locate leaks. These leaks will then need to be sealed in order to ensure that the system is able to function effectively. Regularly checking for leaks can go a long way toward ensuring that your ductwork continues to function as intended.

Vents that are Blocked or Closed

This may seem rather obvious, but it is crucial to ensure that your vents are open and are free of any blockages. Placing furniture in front of or over vents will prevent air from escaping effectively through the vents. Even something as simple as being covered by curtains will impact the capability of the system to allow air flow through the vents. It is important to remove all of these potential blockages from around your vents. You should also thoroughly clean the vents and the surrounding area. This will improve air quality and allow air to flow more freely through the building.

The heating and cooling systems of your home are incredibly important when it comes to protecting your property and maintaining a comfortable environment. If you are getting insufficient air flow through your vents, it is very likely that there is an issue with the ductwork in your property. It can be incredibly beneficial to consult with our experts to identify the issue that is causing problems with your air flow. This can keep your building more comfortable and improve air flow, as well as lower your energy expenses. To learn more about how to improve air flow and protect your HVAC system, contact our experts at Custom Comfort today!

Do you want to increase your utility or home maintenance bills? Likely not. Unfortunately, you may inadvertently do just that. Several habits or some inattentiveness can drive up the cost of your heating and cooling. They may even cost you more money in the long run with needed repairs or replacement. Avoid the following mistakes to keep your costs low.

Leave Your Thermostat Alone

A leading cause of high utility bills is running the air conditioner for too long at too low a temperature. Truthfully, if you can feel content with a higher air temperature, you should keep it there. What’s more, either program your thermostat or manually change it to reflect slightly higher temperatures when you’re away from home.

Likewise, consider calibrating your thermostat. Just because the display flashes a temperature doesn’t mean it’s accurate. Ensure accuracy by calibrating the device because even a few degrees differential can be costly.

Void the Warranty

When you install a new HVAC unit, it should come with a warranty. First, register the warranty. Otherwise, it might be a non-starter from the get-go. Once you’ve registered the warranty, you’ll want to keep it valid.

The main way you’ll void a registered warranty is by having unlicensed technicians repair the unit. Whether you attempt the repair yourself or hire a local handyman, the fix might not meet the manufacturer’s specifications. The manufacturer requires that you hire licensed HVAC technicians to keep the warranty valid.

Fail to Maintain the Unit

Your AC unit needs regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly. Such maintenance includes the following tasks:

• Replace the air filter.
• Clean the compressor cabinet.
• Remove dirt from the coils.
• Keep the unit free of debris.

If you allow dirt or debris to accumulate in or around your HVAC unit, it may have to work harder, which will increase your energy bills. The unit itself may also burn out if the clogs are bad enough.

Position the Unit, Vents, or Thermostat Poorly

The location of your air conditioning unit will significantly impact how efficiently it works. Essentially, you want to keep it out of the sun. You can locate the unit in a naturally shady spot or install a shade cover over the unit.

The location of the vents and thermostat will also affect how efficiently you can cool your house. As with the unit itself, the thermostat should be away from a sunny area. Keep the thermostat away from heat-producing appliances because the thermostat will read the temperature as being higher than it really is. Finally, ensure the vents aren’t blocked, which would prevent proper circulation.

Neglect Your Ductwork

Speaking of vents, the area behind is equally important. Duct cleaning and maintenance is important to keep your inside environment pleasant. However, the general condition of your ducts can also affect how efficiently your home cools. For example, if you have leaks in the ductwork, conditioned air may escape into useless spaces.

You’ll want to seal your ducts. You could try duct tape, but, despite its name, it usually won’t hold up to the job over time. Foil-backed tape is a better bet. You may want licensed technicians to perform this job. Likewise, consider adding more insulation around your ducts.

Run the Unit When You Smell Burning

Sometimes you’ll turn on your HVAC unit and smell a foul odor. Typically, said odors simply indicate you need a professional cleaning and/or new filter. However, one odor can be a sign of a deeper issue — a burning smell.

A burning smell usually means something inside your unit is burning, and that’s not good. It may be the wires, the motor, or any other electrical component of the unit that’s short-circuiting. When you run the unit despite the smell, you may end up damaging or destroying it. You may even end up with a fire.

Don’t throw your money away because of HVAC issues. Contact Custom Comfort Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling LLC, for all your heating and cooling needs.