A wealth of information is available online and in other places regarding repairs and maintenance to an HVAC system. However, the variety and high number of views and opinions available increase the importance of separating factual information from fiction. With this point in mind, we decided to debunk a few of the most common HVAC system myths.
1. Turning Off Your AC/Heating Unit Saves Money
Many homeowners may find it tempting to shut down their AC/heating system completely when away from home, especially if leaving for a long trip such as a vacation. At GVEC, we recommend against this practice. Instead, we suggest setting your thermostat to a point just a bit beyond settings you’d use if anyone was home. This is especially important during the hottest and coldest months of the year.
The reason is simple: Starting your HVAC system from a complete shutdown is similar to flooring a car’s accelerator from a dead stop. You’ll burn through much more energy by consistently running a machine this way while increasing overall wear-and-tear on the system. It’s better to let your AC/heating system work its way up or down from a less extreme starting point.
2. Bigger Means Better With HVAC Systems
An HVAC system that is too large or too small for the home it’s installed in can suffer from inconsistent, unpredictable running cycles, cycling off and on at erratic intervals and for varying lengths of time per run cycle. This not only wastes energy, significantly increasing electric bills, but it can also dramatically increase wear-and-tear on the system, decreasing its lifespan and requiring a replacement much more quickly.
3. Regular Maintenance Is Unnecessary, Especially for New AC/Heating Systems
An HVAC system is a complex piece of machinery that will not work properly without regular inspections and tune-ups. Even if your system is brand new, you still need to have it serviced at regular intervals. Thinking back to the vehicle comparison, you wouldn’t buy a new car and wait one or two years before having it serviced the first time (at least, we hope not). Your HVAC system is the same.
We recommend having your system checked and serviced twice yearly. Our HVAC Spec Check regular maintenance plan does exactly that. When you sign up for HVAC Spec Check, GVEC HVAC technicians will come to your home twice a year—once at the start of spring and once at the start of fall—and perform a complete inspection and routine maintenance, helping keep the system finely tuned and in peak operating condition.
We designed our one-off Check-N-Save maintenance checkup for customers who don’t want to commit to a regular plan like HVAC Spec Check. Check-N-Save is a great way to ensure your AC/heating system is running at peak efficiency and ready for upcoming summer or winter months, without requiring a long-term commitment.
4. Once a Year Filter Changes Are Sufficient
Dust, debris and other particles build up in air conditioning and heating systems daily. The accumulation of these particles can restrict the flow of air to the unit and force it to work harder. The air filter is the first line of defense preventing these particles from building up within the HVAC system itself where they can contribute to energy inefficiency and even breakdowns. Changing the air filter is probably the simplest, most cost-effective do-it-yourself measure homeowners can take to keep their systems running smoothly.
Waiting a year to change the filter could allow enough particulates to build up in the system as to cause significant damage. Although filters vary regarding the amount of time they’re rated for, GVEC recommends checking your filter once a month regardless of its rating and changing if dirty.
5. Lower Temperature Settings Mean Faster Cooling
An HVAC system does not cool or heat your home more or less quickly based on how high or low you set the thermostat. Your system will work until the temperature in the room is cool or warm enough. A higher or lower setting only means the system will work longer and harder to hit the designated temperature.
Dependable Air Conditioning and Heating Repair
If you own a home in South Central Texas and need AC/heating repair services or products, call us at 877.466.5506. Our professional, licensed HVAC technicians can tackle any AC/heating job and will work with you to achieve greater home energy efficiency and to ensure your system runs at peak performance, helping it last longer and run with greater dependability.
