AC & Furnace Repair: Extending The Life Of Older Units

Replacing a furnace or AC unit is likely to set you back over $3,000. If you're looking to extend the life of your current furnace or AC by a few seasons, however, a few preventative maintenance tricks and tune-ups from your local HVAC services professional can get the job done.

Improved Efficiency

As your furnace or AC unit ages, it will invariably become less efficient. Not only will this decreased efficiency lead to higher utility bills, but they're also a sign of wear and tear that need to be addressed to extend the life of your units.

• Fans and Blowers: all AC and furnace units suck (fans) up and pump out air (blowers) to operate. Both the intake and output of this airflow will cause dust, dirt, and grit to coat virtually every external and external component of the unit. If allowed to build up season after season this detritus can jeopardize the functionality of your units. An HVAC service professional can use a three-pronged approach to clean out your machines. First, they will partially dismantle your units to access the fans and blowers. Next, they will use a brush tool to scrub away the dust and grim. Last, they will use an air compressor to blow away any remaining build up and reassemble your units.

Lubrication

Moving parts in any machine require lubrication. Your HVAC service professional can lubricate critical components of your furnace and AC units, which can improve its longevity.

• Motors: your AC and furnace unit's motors have ports specifically designed to add lubrication. Although it's not difficult to actually add the lubricant, getting access to them can be tricky. Your HVAC service professional will need to deconstruct most of the outer hardware to locate the motors and the oil ports. As mentioned above, they might perform this service during the cleaning steps described above. After adding more lubricant, they can also tighten screws and bolts in the motors that sometimes become loose.

Pressure Test

Your AC and furnace units have ducts, hoses, and coils that will wear out over time. Although a large crack or hole might be easy to spot, many times, hairline cracks or smaller holes are much harder to spot. Your HVAC service professional can perform a pressure test to help isolate any failing ducts, hoses, and coils. These pressure tests are preferred because they help replace only those components that actually need to be swapped out.

You can learn more by contacting your local ac repair technician.