HVAC Maintenance: 6 Tips for Heating Season

Being a property manager, it is your responsibility to maintain a comfortable and safe environment for all the tenants. And living in the modern world, then you definitely know that the temperature in a home is very crucial and if you mess it up, the homes will be inhabitable. So, you should never leave your tenants in the cold, even for a day. Instead, why not be proactive and ensure that your HVAC system is maintained properly? If anything, that’s what your reputation is based on; in the sense that your tenants will know that they can rely on you to ensure that everything in the property runs smoothly.

The heating system can be tough to maintain, but with the following essential tips, you should be able to keep your building as comfortable as possible.
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1. Clean or replace air filters
In this day and age, cleaning or replacing air filters is a crucial aspect of HVAC maintenance. This is something that you can do by yourself and it will have a huge impact on how the entire system works, and how efficient it can be. So, when particulates and dust become clogged in the air filters, airflow is blocked, which in turn could force the equipment to use more energy and work harder so as to achieve the same temperatures. What’s more, clogged air filters release pollen and dust in the air, which can be deadly for people with asthma and allergies. Furthermore, more debris and dust in the system can cause damage over time. So, needless to say, considering all these, always ensure that the air filters are regularly cleaned, and if you find some filters that are malfunctioning, ensure that there are replaced immediately. Remember that you are after comfort, so ensure that you stop at nothing until you get it.

2. Regularly check the ventilation system
Let’s face it, if there are parts of the HVAC system that are often overlooked are the ductwork that transports heated air throughout the property and the vents that exhaust the air out. But you have to change this narrative. Have a professional inspect the vents and the ducts for any corrosion, holes, dislocated parts or clogs so that they can correct any potential problems that could affect the comfort conditions in your home. The repairs in the ventilation system may seem like an easy task, and that you can do it by yourself, but the truth is, it’s not recommended, as you may end up doing more harm than good. Get a professional technician to assess and fix any blocked flue or structural issue they may find in the system.

3. Clean all exterior components
When maintaining your HVAC system, keep in mind that the exterior components of your system, which includes rooftop units and condensers, needs similar attention to interior units. Possibly even more given that the exteriors are exposed to harsher elements. Always ensure that all the outdoor equipment are kept clear of snow and leaves, especially after a storm. For the area near the outdoor air intake, pay extra attention to it, as it supplies the whole system with air. If there is a source of contamination or any kind of blockage, the airflow in the entire building is affected. Ensure that your maintenance plan has an outdoor cleaning component several times a year. When you clean motors, coils and fan blades regularly, they operate more efficiently.

4. Check for mold
A moist area is ideal for mold to grow. In order to prevent it from growing, you should always check out for any signs if there is moisture where it shouldn’t be. And even though mold can be tough to get rid of, it is important to keep an eye on it as it poses potential health hazards for all the tenants in your building. Your HVAC maintenance plan should put more focus on inspecting the common places where moisture is known to thrive well. These areas include ventilation, drain lines, boilers, coils, shafts, and drain pans. When there is mold in these areas, regulation of air in the building is hindered, so regular maintenance is very important.

5. Worn parts should be proactively replaced
This is the essence of HVAC maintenance. Inspecting the condition of your system and also identifying the aging parts and replacing them is critical if your system is to maintain its effectiveness. Identifying the worn out parts and replacing them before they break is always the best way to prevent expensive and breakdowns. You should ensure that all the mechanical and electrical parts so as to give you an idea about the parts of the system that needs dire attention. A critical heating component that you should pay extra attention to is the ignition assembly. It is a critical part of the furnace, which if it gets damaged or dirty, it will cut off the heat. And when fan belts start to show signs of wear and tear, you should replace them as soon as possible to prevent breakdowns and to also ensure that the system is functioning efficiently.

6. Keep a maintenance calendar & get a contract
​The heating system comes with many components, making it super complex. This is especially so when it comes to large buildings, in the sense that the number of components that you will have to keep track of can increase drastically. In this case, the best way to manage the maintenance of such kind of a system is by maintaining a calendar, which you will use to mark whenever you fix or replace anything on the system. This means that you will have an easier reference when you need any maintenance work done in the future. And as mentioned above, these systems are quite complex, you definitely need to hire a reputable heating contractor to maintain the heating system.