Should You Try to Fix The Central Heating And AC System?

Top Tips to Fix Your Central HVAC System

What homeowner doesn’t thoroughly enjoy having a broken or dying central HVAC system? There’s nothing like the stress, hassle, and trouble of replacing such an expensive and integral part of your home’s comfort and safety. Of course, if you’re not someone who enjoys such a nightmare, you’re in luck.

There are a few easy things you can do to keep your central HVAC system running smoothly. A little bit of upkeep and maintenance can go a long way. Plus, you don’t need to be an expert in HVAC or electrical.

Check the Condensation Line for Frost

If your HVAC system isn’t working correctly, the first thing you’ll want to check (aside from the control panel) is the condensate drain line. It’s easy to spot; just look for a PVC pipe coming out of the wall of your house near your outdoor HVAC unit.

The condensate drain line is an important part of your central HVAC system. Condensation collects in your HVAC unit as a part of its normal function. That condensation needs to be drained to maintain the system’s operation.

Sometimes the condensate drain line will freeze due to a refrigerant leak. If you inspect the drain line and see that it’s blocked, you’ll want to melt the ice. If it’s cold enough outside for ice to form in your drain line, melting may be all you need to do. But if the weather isn’t causing the problem, you probably have a refrigerant leak and should call a professional HVAC tech as soon as possible.

Keep the Outdoor Unit Protected

For best results, you should clean your outdoor AC unit at least once a year, usually before warm weather hits. During the cold months, stuff like leaves, dirt, branches, and even insects can end up in your outdoor unit.

Cleaning the condenser out can help you to avoid clogging up your vents and filters, allowing your HVAC system to have a long and productive life. Before doing anything you’ll want to completely shut off the power to the unit.

Removing the top of the unit generally requires one or two common household tools. Once you’ve done that you can clean off the fan blades with a vacuum or a rag. From there you can vacuum out the interior of the unit, removing all dirt and debris that has collected in it.

Once you’ve completed that, you can spray out the fins with a garden hose. When you do this be sure to spray from inside out, so you clear out any gunk that has built-up on the fins. After it dries completely you can put the top back and restore power to the unit.

Remember to Schedule Maintenance

The easiest and most effective way to keep your central HVAC unit running smoothly is to schedule regular maintenance with a professional HVAC company. Their techs will take care of the cleaning, diagnosing, and upkeep of your HVAC system.

Having professionals take care of this is beneficial because they can often spot small problems before they get big, or prevent problems from arising at all. Preventative technical maintenance is the best way to ensure that you don’t have to fix or replace your central HVAC system prematurely.

About Albritton Service Co

Family owned and operated, Albritton Service Co has been serving Ruston, LA with honor and dedication since 1982. They offer friendly, expert service on all things HVAC and Electrical. They offer great air conditioning repairs along with heating services at competitive pricing, and back their work with a satisfaction guarantee.

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