The winter months in Modesto, California and the Central Valley have are nearly gone, and the time for spring cleaning is finally here.  While many Americans are beginning to embrace popular home improvement projects this time of year, one vital area often gets overlooked.  Scheduling an HVAC system [what is HVAC?]check-up to make sure it will run smoothly in the months to come is a must.  Hiring Mehl Mechanical to perform an HVAC system check-up before you have had a chance to turn on your AC gives the technician the opportunity to catch any issues that might have arisen undetected the last scheduled check-up.

It is important to have this done yearly or you run the risk of your system breaking down when it is most inconvenient.  However, if you have already begun to your air conditioning unit this spring, it is not too late to reap the benefits of a yearly tune-up!

Benefits of an HVAC System Check-Up

Having a professional heating and cooling technician swing by your house to check your HVAC system saves you time and money in a variety of ways.

• When your AC components are all working in good order, the risk of it breaking down over the summer decreases. It can sometimes take several hours to get a technician dispatched to your location once your AC unit gives out.  Save yourself the hassle and an expensive repair job and opt to do an annual spring maintenance check instead.
• Most manufacturers require having annual HVAC check-ups to keep you eligible for the warranty on your AC unit. This ensures that any equipment that needs replacing is fixed while the warranty is still active and that the warranty of any new part installed is documented.  Properly maintaining your system keeps costs down and ultimate saves you money over the lifetime of your AC unit.
• Checking your HVAC system regularly enables it to perform at peak levels while consuming less energy. That means that the more efficiently your HVAC system runs, the more money you get to keep in your pocket at the end of each month.  Not only do you save when you lower your heating and cooling costs, but your AC unit lasts years longer than poorly maintained units do.

Easy Upkeep Homeowners Can Do

There are still some things that homeowners should keep an eye on throughout the year in order to keep your system running efficiently and effectively.  Doing these things will help your HVAC system maintain a comfortable temperature in every room of the house, regardless of the conditions outside.

• Check your air filters on a monthly basis and change them regularly. Peak outside temperatures typically force your HVAC system to work hard to maintain a steady indoor temperature, so your air filters will need to be change more frequently during these seasons.
• Check your AC unit’s drip pan and condensate drain line to make sure it is clog-free and able to expel moisture from your system. This prevents moisture from building up and eventually causing water damage inside the unit.
• Remove blockages that prevent proper airflow through the vents around your home. This means you will need to move rugs, furniture, or other objects obstructing air flow off floor grilles and double check that the louvers are open.  Clear away any vegetation or debris piling up around your AC unit that could inhibit proper airflow.
• Clean and secure your furnace so that it is safe to use even you probably don’t anticipate using it this summer. An unsafe furnace can still be a dangerous fire hazard, so make sure it is working order and unobstructed.
• Program a set temperature on your thermostat to keep energy costs down when cooling your house. If you can, program a schedule for your thermostat to follow during the Monday through Friday and a separate schedule for the weekends based on your family’s activities in and outside the home for more energy efficiency.

Taking care of your HVAC system may sound like a lot of work, but if you schedule a yearly maintenance check-up with Mehl Mechanical and perform simple upkeep on a monthly basis, heating and cooling your house this year will be a piece of cake.  After all is said and done, you will be glad you did it. Mehl Mechanical services Modesto, California and the greater Central Valley.   Contact Mehl Mechanical today to perform a pre-season review of your air conditioner or ask us about our maintenance inspections.