It is important to maintain your building’s HVAC system. If you don’t know about HVAC technician in your area, take some time to find a reliable service that you can use to maintain and repair your system. There might be a few different options, so figure out which one is best for you. A contractor might have more generalized knowledge about systems, but can do standard work and will be familiar with your system. Or you could work with a major company. While you won’t get personalized attention, having someone from their AC department do the work will ensure that you get the most expertise possible.
The person doing your maintenance will be able to take care of most issues with your AC heating and cooling unit. They can replace your AC heater fan or figure out any problems with the heat pumps. This will extend the lifespan of your system, as well as save you money on unnecessary major repairs. While you will eventually need to replace parts of your system, regular maintenance will help you put that expense off longer.
Most American houses have climate control utilities in them, such as air conditioners, furnaces, and modern heat pumps to cool down houses in summer and warm them up in winter. Two in three American houses has an air conditioner, and many of them have heaters, too. Mot often, these utilities are the traditional model, making use of air ducts and blower fans to effect heating and cooling in the house.
Meanwhile, some homeowners may choose to get heat pumps installed, often the ductless model for rooms that need them. One may wonder: how do ductless heat pumps work? Newer homeowners may want to check “how do ductless heat pumps work?” to see if they want such hardware installed, and even older homeowners may explore new options and inquire “how do ductless heat pumps work?” before making a purchase. HVAC companies may send experts who can install and repair both ductless heat pumps and traditional HVAC models for homeowners.
How Do Ductless Heat Pumps Work
For reference, a regular HVAC model will consist of such hardware as a furnace in the basement, an AC unit outdoors, metal air ducts in the walls, and blower fans deeper in the system. Such a model is energy-hungry, and may use up close to 50% of the home’s total electric bill. And if defects or faults cause the system to be overworked, that system is using up even more expensive electricity. By contrast, a ductless heat pump is a wall-mounted unit that has only a small hole connecting it to its outdoor air compressor.
This unit does not even use air ducts, hence the name, and this means that it won’t have a chance to develop air leaks that overwork this costly system. The system is more secure than regular HVAC, and with its advanced air compressor and lack of air ducts, it is among the most energy-efficient models possible. This may save a homeowner some money in the long run, and such units are a good choice for a new room that is added to the house. Existing air ducts won’t connect to a newly-added room, but these ductless heat pumps can be placed there.
Homeowners may note that ductless heat pumps are fairly expensive, and while the cost itself varies, these are not for everyone. Houses in moderate climates have minimal need for strong climate control inside, so ductless heat pumps may be more money than they’re worth. By contrast, homes in very cold or hot climates, or in areas that see a lot of drastic temperature changes, may get more use of of these efficient but cost-heavy heat pumps. The homeowner’s electricity expense rates may also be factored in to determine whether a heat pump would be price-efficient or not.
Common HVAC Repairs and Fixes
What might go wrong with a house’s HVAC system? Sheer filth may be a problem, as mundane as it sounds. Squirrels or rats may break into the house and build nests in the air ducts, which disrupt air flow and force the system to work overtime to compensate. Excess dirt, bacteria, or pollen in the air ducts may spread around infection or allergens in a home or office, which is certainly something to be avoided.
Meanwhile, the blower fans deep in the system may get coated with grime and particles over time, which weakens their output and forces them to work overtime to compensate. HVAC systems use up a lot of electricity to start with, so an overworked one will raise the building’s electric bill even higher. And of course, mechanical issues may strike, such as blower fans burning out or a furnace’s inner components failing over time. The air ducts may fall out or develop rips or holes that leak air.
Repair professionals may be called upon to fix these. They can clean out a wall-mounted ductless heat pump once per month or so to keep the system in good shape, and conventional HVAC systems may have their air ducts repaired or cleared of animal nests. Blower fans may be cleaned off or replaced, and a very old HVAC system might be overhauled entirely. Old systems weren’t built with modern energy efficiency in mind, but new ones are. Putting in a new system may save money over time.
