Heating and cooling systems in the United States are extremely important to many people, and can even be necessary for survival in the more extreme climates in the North and South. Hot weather conditions can have several negative effects on a person, including lethargy, boredom, and lack of drive. As such, approximately 65.9 percent of occupied homes have central air. These allow their owners to control temperatures and reduce sweating, keeping individuals hydrated. Given that our heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are so important to us, you would think regular HVAC maintenance was practiced by most homes. However, many people neglect HVAC maintenance, resulting in cooling and heating problems at the most inopportune times. Here are some tips on HVAC maintenance to ensure you aren’t sweating to death in the summer or freezing to death in the winter.

Heating and air conditioning can be extremely costly. Air conditioning in the United States alone is worth an estimated 57 billion dollars in revenue. Routine HVAC maintenance is vital if you want to get the most out of your system. Regular HVAC maintenance can help you avoid expensive and premature repairs, saving you money.

One of the most basic steps you can take toward regular HVAC maintenance is to set your fan to automatic. Almost all thermostats will have a basic setting that allows you to choose whether your system’s fan runs continuously, or only when needed. When you set your fan to automatic, you will prevent it from burning out early by running continuously all the time. Repairs to a system’s fan can be tedious and expensive. Setting your fan to automatic will also cut down on your energy and electricity consumption, saving you more money.

The air conditioning industry in the United States is extremely fragmented, and customers have thousands of companies from which to choose. Yet, once most of them have found the air conditioning system they’re looking for, they have it installed and forget about it. This neglect of HVAC maintenance is what causes most problems in AC systems. You should have your system inspected on an annual basis to make sure that it is running at peak efficiency. Hire a certified technician to check your system’s Freon levels, lubricate moving parts, and ensure electrical connections are not corroded. There are even some things you can do yourself, such as changing the air filters on a regular basis. But while hiring a professional may cost more money up front, it will end up saving you money in the long run to have them perform professional HVAC maintenance on your system regularly. For more about this, go here.