3 Things New Homebuyers Need to Know About Their HVAC

Congratulations on buying a new home! Becoming a homeowner is a very big and exciting milestone. However, it’s also full of hurdles that require you to be constantly learning. If you were renting beforehand, then do you remember the tasks your landlord usually took care of? Well, they’re your responsibilities now. That includes the heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) in the new home.

Knowing about your new home’s HVAC can ensure that you are keeping your property running efficiently, smoothly, and safely. With this in mind, here are three of the most important things you need to know as a new homeowner with your own HVAC.

1. Age and size matter, a lot

You should take a look at the manufacturing date located on your HVAC equipment before using it. If the system is older than, say, the past 10 or 15 years since you bought the house, then not only is it too old to use but also it’s too dangerous to your home and your wallet. The longest an HVAC system can run for is that timeframe of 10 or 15 years, depending on how well taken care of it was beforehand. Any longer and its efficiency and lifespan are both on the brink of running out entirely.

Check out the size of the system too. If you live in a small home but have discovered the equipment being used is massive, or the system is small and portable but the house isn’t, that’s another problem because the sizing is all off. Each room has its own requirements in terms of finding that most comfortable temperature, so the size of the system needs to match those needs. Too big or too small of a system means you won’t get the cooling or heating in your home that you want.

2. There are several different types

It’s easy to assume that the type of HVAC systems in your home are the only types out there, but this is actually not true. In fact, there are several types of HVAC units homeowners can invest in should they discover their current ones are not performing as well as they should.

• Heat pumps.These don’t burn fuel to create heat. Instead, they transfer heat from one place to another, due to the natural tendency of heat to move from warmer places to cold ones. There are different types of heat pumps as well: absorption, air source, and ground source. These all work differently, so it helps to learn how each type operates.
• These use a variety of fuels in order to run such as natural gas inside of a tank or vessel. The chemical reaction that takes place inside produces the heat, which then travel around the house through pipes into steam radiators. Some homeowners prefer boilers given that the heat distributed feels more natural as opposed to dry and artificial.
• Most furnaces use both natural gas and electricity to heat up your home. Each comes with basic components including the burner, ductwork, heat exchanger, and a vent pipe or flue. With proper and regular maintenance, furnaces can last up to 20-25 years, making them ideal heating systems for homeowners who intend to stay in their new home for a very long time.
• Mini splits.This is one of the newest types of systems on the market. Also known as a ductless split system, mini splits use both an indoor and outdoor unit connected by a conductor or conduit. They operate without needing ducts throughout the home, and some can even be operated by a wireless remote.
• Geothermal is another one of the newest technologies that also uses heat pumps and refrigerant like other HVAC systems. Rather than send it back into the atmosphere, however, the geothermal system instead stores the refrigerant and circulates it along long loops, which are installed under the residence. This makes the system a very economical and energy efficient one.

Knowing the different types of HVAC can help you understand the system better when performing maintenance such as cleaning and maintenance.

3. Regular inspections can prevent underlying problems

It’s easy to assume that a general first inspection of your home’s HVAC automatically covers fixing any problem detected in the unit. However, the reality of it is that if there’s no outright visual problem, then the unit will be marked down as working properly. If you’ve read any of our blog posts however, you know that there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to underlying problems in HVAC!

Ideally your HVAC systems need to be checked on twice a year, in the spring and fall (the low seasons). During these visits, your HVAC technicians can inspect and perform a wide variety of services such as replacing and adjusting fan belts, tightening all electrical connections, and inspecting and cleaning the system’s fans and blowers to mention a few.

Do enjoy your new home and the HVAC inside of it! If you’re in need of trustworthy technicians to help you in your time of need, give us a call. At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!