Maintaining a home properly requires more than the ability to keep your exterior up to local building codes and regulations. When you’re a homeowner or when you invest in numerous commercial properties, keeping an HVAC preventative maintenance checklist handy at all times is highly recommended. Using an HVAC preventative maintenance checklist can help you keep better track of maintenance requirements, inspection dates, and problematic components that may require replacement in the future.

Inspect HVAC Systems Routinely

One of the most important aspects of an HVAC preventative maintenance checklist includes conducting routine inspections. Having your HVAC system routinely inspected is a way for you to ensure it’s working as efficiently as possible. The more efficient an HVAC system is working in either a residential or commercial setting, the less wear and tear it will experience, extending its overall lifespan, regardless of the type of AC system, furnace, or combination unit you have in place.

To minimize the number of AC repairs you require in your home or even in your commercial workplace, routine inspections can go a long way. Professional HVAC contractors who are licensed, insured, and certified are trained to conduct inspections on singular air conditioners, furnaces, and even combination units with seamless ductwork, regardless of the setup and layout of your home or commercial space. It’s advisable to conduct a routine inspection of your HVAC system at least annually or twice a year if you’re managing a large corporate building with heavy traffic.

Inspecting HVAC systems routinely is not only a way for you to prevent major breakdowns of essential components and internal parts, but it’s also a way for you to gauge when it may be time to start thinking of replacing entire units or investing in a brand-new system altogether. Keep in mind, in most instances, HVAC systems with proper ongoing inspections and routine maintenance will last between 15 and 25 years in total, especially with modernized systems in place. When you’re working with a professional HVAC company that offers routine inspections, you can also pinpoint potential weak areas of your system that you’ll need to pay close attention to for odd sounds, strange odors, or inefficiencies that may ultimately impact how your HVAC unit works.

Change and Replace Air Filters

Before you immediately go to call a local trusted air duct cleaning company, consider the last time you’ve inspected, changed, and replaced the air filters in your home. When you’re making an HVAC preventative maintenance checklist, you’ll need to keep track of the recommended times you will have to remember as a homeowner or the owner of a commercial property, regardless of the HVAC unit or system you have installed. If you’re unsure of how to go about changing and replacing air filters, or you don’t know when to do so, you can learn everything you need to know regarding your particular HVAC setup through the use of official printed manuals or by seeking official manuals and guides online.

Changing and replacing air filters regularly and with consistency is a way for you to limit the number of times you need to call a local company that provides air conditioning services or HVAC repairs. When you avoid changing and replacing the air filters in your home, it will cause more unnecessary stress and strain on your HVAC system itself, regardless of how frequently you use the system and the time of year you intend to do so on your property. If one of your main goals as a homeowner involves living a more sustainable way of life without wasting energy and electricity, you’ll need to keep an eye on how often you’ll need to change and clean your air filters.

You can learn more about the specifics of the air filters you currently have installed in your home by inspecting your HVAC system or furnace directly or by seeking the official guide or manual for the equipment you’re currently using. It’s important to note that if you’re living in a home with numerous children and pets that shed, you may need to inspect, clean, and replace your air filters much more frequently. You’ll need to gauge how often you need to clean and replace filters based on your location, the climate outdoors, the traffic in your home, and how often you intend to use your HVAC system for heating and cooling purposes.

Inspect Electrical Wiring and Connections

When you’re in the process of making an HVAC preventative maintenance checklist, you’ll want to consider how your system is wired and how dated the HVAC unit you have in your home is, especially if you’re currently experiencing an issue. Whether you’re working with a mini split air conditioner or you’re interested in knowing more about the home heating oil your unit uses, it’s always best to leave the work to the pros when it comes to connections and the inspection of electrical wiring. Unless you’re someone who is certified, licensed, and insured, hiring an HVAC pro is one of the best decisions you can make to protect yourself and any investment you make around the home or your place of business.

Conducting an inspection of the connections and electrical wiring of your HVAC system is not as simple as taking a look at the wires to ensure they’re properly connected to a power source. You’ll need to know how to work with various electrical circuits while doing so in a safe and controlled environment. When you’re working with HVAC professionals who are licensed and certified, you can do so knowing that you’re protected legally from potential liabilities due to injuries or accidents that may occur while someone is working on the job.

Attempting to inspect the electrical wiring and connections of your own HVAC system is not only risky, but it can also cause irreversible damage to your HVAC unit, furnace, or any type of air conditioning setup you have in place in your home. Hiring someone who is unlicensed and not insured to work in a professional capacity will also cause you to assume any risk financially and legally should a contractor or crew member find themselves hurt or injured while working on your property, even if the accident is due to no fault of your own. Anytime you’re hiring an HVAC professional, expert, or entire crew, you’ll want to do so only once you’ve verified their authenticity, licenses, and insurance.

Conduct a Ductwork Inspection

When you want to ensure you’re abiding by a standard HVAC preventative maintenance checklist as a homeowner, conducting a ductwork inspection is highly recommended, especially if you have a modern duct system or ventilation layout in your home at the time. Conducting a ductwork inspection is a way for you to determine if the system is working as intended and as efficiently as possible. While you’re conducting a ductwork inspection with the assistance of a local duct cleaning company, you can also determine if there are blockages, cracks, or even weak points throughout the system in your home to determine which type of repair or replacement might be necessary.

Conducting ductwork inspections on your own is not always simple or possible without the proper commercial-grade equipment, such as residential cameras designed specifically for the purpose of inspecting ducts and ventilation systems. If you want to conduct a complete inspection of the ventilation system and ductwork throughout your home, you can do so by turning to professionals near you who currently provide air duct services and inspections for residential customers and clients in your area. Working with HVAC professionals who specialize in ductwork inspections is also a way for you to learn more about the overall condition and quality of the system you have anywhere in your home, which is ideal if you believe your ductwork is outdated and might be in need of a complete replacement or upgrade.

Research Components, Parts, and Systems in Advance

Anytime you’re the owner of a home or commercial space, you’re also responsible for its utilities, appliances, and overall upkeep. If you want to make the right decision when you’re working on preventative HVAC maintenance, you can do so by learning as much as possible about the current HVAC system and ventilation layout you have throughout your home. If you’re well-versed in the basics of HVAC maintenance, inspections, and even air filters, you’ll have a much better chance of finding the appropriate professional when the time comes and when you’re in need of help.

Research the specific model number, manufacturer, and make of the HVAC system or furnace you have in your home online and with your official manual, if available. Learn how to inspect pilot lights, change air filters, and order parts from a legitimate provider before doing so on your own.

Hire a Professional HVAC Expert for Routine Maintenance

An HVAC preventative maintenance checklist wouldn’t be complete without recommending the hiring of an HVAC expert to conduct routine maintenance at least once a year. In some cases, routine maintenance is recommended semi-annually, or twice a year, especially if you’re living in a large household or a home with numerous shedding furry friends and pets. If you want to ensure your HVAC system is running as efficiently as possible to extend its lifespan, you can do so by hiring HVAC companies with stellar reputations and proper licensing in your city or town.

Finding the perfect expert for routine maintenance is much easier to do if you know a neighbor, friend, or relative who already enlists HVAC specialists to assist with routine inspections and HVAC maintenance. You can also meet with professionals who specialize in HVAC inspections in person, where you can ask questions regarding the types of services the HVAC professionals are familiar with and the type of HVAC systems they currently service and can order for you, depending on your needs. Getting to know individual contractors and entire HVAC crews in your city or area is a way for you to feel much more confident whether you’re in need of emergency repairs, replacement components, or if you’re in the market for a newly updated and modernized system that works for your home.

Finding the Right HVAC Contractors or Companies

Even after you’ve completed your official HVAC preventative maintenance checklist, you may still require professional air conditioner services that aren’t easy for you to conduct on your own. Finding the right HVAC contractor or company can make a world of a difference whether you’re in need of a traditional inspection, new air filters, or if you want to start a discussion about the possibility of replacing your existing HVAC system with a brand-new unit. Working with professionals who are experts and certified in HVAC maintenance, repairs, and replacement work is a way for you to determine which system or unit is right for you based on your current household size, lot needs, and the lifestyle you currently lead.

To find a professional HVAC service provider, you can do so by searching through various online and local business directories, especially when you’re new to a location and unfamiliar with the offerings in your town or city. You can also ask your neighbors and those you know in your area for referrals and recommendations if you prefer getting to know more about a professional contractor or company before allowing them the ability to work in or around your home in any capacity. Additionally, anytime you’re interviewing or consulting with HVAC professionals and specialists, be sure to take the time to verify licensing, certification, and insurance before permitting any crew or individual service provider to work on your HVAC system.

Using your own HVAC preventative maintenance checklist is ideal if you’re dealing with more than one HVAC unit or system in your properties or if you simply don’t want your inspections and routine maintenance to lapse. The more knowledgeable you become of your HVAC preventative maintenance checklist, the easier it’ll be for you to pinpoint specific weak points in your HVAC system that may require the attention of a local professional, contractor, or HVAC service company near you. When you’re aware of common HVAC issues and when they’re likely to arise, you’ll also find it much easier to navigate the process of hiring someone whenever you find yourself in need of assistance, regardless of the size of the matter.