Opening the door to a warm house in the winter and relaxing in the air conditioning on a hot summer day are just a couple benefits of keeping your home’s internal systems working well. Maintaining your home’s HVAC and plumbing systems can also help you keep your utility bills affordable and reduce the risk of an unexpected failure in your home’s maintenance equipment. Here are some simple things you can do to keep your home’s plumbing, ductwork, and HVAC equipment running throughout the year.
1. Reduce Unnecessary Uptime
A good HVAC system can keep your home cool even on the hottest summer days and warm during the dead of winter. However, operating your furnace or AC unit on full blast during extreme outdoor temperatures can greatly tax the equipment and reduce its lifespan. You can help your system out by setting your thermostat a few degrees cooler in the winter and a few degrees warmer in the summer to keep your equipment from overloading. Using ceiling fans and space heaters can also your home stay comfortable without overtaxing your HVAC system.
2. Winterize Outdoor Plumbing
Whether you have a fully automatic sprinkler system in your yard or simply a few exterior taps, it’s important to prepare the plumbing properly for the cold weather before winter sets in. Autumn is an excellent time to winterize your outdoor plumbing. Drain and blow out your sprinkler pipes, and insulate your exterior faucets. Properly winterized plumbing has a much better chance of surviving the cold weather and returning to use in the spring without leaks.
3. Get a Programmable Thermostat
Does your house sit empty for part of the day while you are at work or school? You can save a lot of energy and money by only operating your HVAC equipment when you are actually home to appreciate it. A programmable thermostat allows you to reduce the load on your equipment when you are away while still making sure your home is comfortable while you are there. You can go a step further and install a cutting-edge smart thermostat that you can control remotely with your smartphone.
4. Invest in Energy-Efficient Equipment
If your HVAC equipment is over a decade old, you may notice the frequency of problems is increasing. Small issues can start to occur routinely, and without proper repairs, these issues can become worse. Rather than continuing to deal with the hassle and expense of constant repairs, you may want to think about upgrading to new energy-efficient equipment. Modern furnaces and air-conditioning units utilize far less energy than older counterparts without sacrificing the level of performance, so you can be comfortable and save money on utility bills.
5. Schedule Routine Services
If your furnace stops working or your air conditioner refuses to maintain a consistent air temperature, you will probably call a professional to make repairs. However, you can also gain many benefits from calling an experienced technician for preventive air conditioning or furnace repair maintenance. Scheduling an inspection and tune-up of your HVAC system every year can improve its performance and help you address minor problems before they before serious issues. You can spread out the financial expense by tuning up your furnace in the fall and your AC in the spring.
Taking the time to perform a few simple tasks throughout the year can go a long way toward ensuring your home’s furnace, air conditioning, and plumbing systems work consistently for years to come. Preventive maintenance, such as winterizing and yearly tune-ups, can help prevent unexpected problems. You can also improve performance and reduce your utility bills by upgrading your equipment. Then all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy your comfortable, efficient home.