What Happens When You Don’t Take Care of Your HVAC?

Sometimes it’s tough to feel like you want to take care of your home, especially the HVAC. After all, it’s not like you have nothing to do in the meantime. You may work long hours, you may be a parent raising your kids, or you may be struggling to make ends meet every month. Life happens.

That does not mean, however, that it’s a good idea to leave HVAC out of the picture entirely. As much as we don’t want to admit it, looking after HVAC on a regular basis is part of a homeowner’s life, whether you like it or not. If you’re wondering what will happen if you don’t take care of your HVAC, or you want to let the task of maintaining it slide for once this season, maybe reading this will help change your mind. Here’s what really happens if or when you don’t take care of your home’s HVAC.

1. Dirt. Dirt everywhere.

You know how electronics like the TV seem to naturally draw in dust when you’re not looking? Well, the same thing happens to HVAC: if you ignore cleaning and dusting off its components, expect to find dirt.

Lots of it. Everywhere.

Dirt isn’t the only thing to build up either. Mold, mildew, and yes, dust too can all pile up and get circulated throughout the home, leading to one messy house.

The filter, blower, and coils all work together to circulate air and heat up or cool down the rooms. Dirty components, on the other hand, require more energy to keep the air flowing and dirty coils are incapable of moving air of the proper temperature efficiently throughout the system. All this will lead to an inefficient HVAC system that will cost you hundreds of dollars over several years.

2. A ton of damage from air filters

You know how some people can’t stop sneezing whenever spring rolls in? Imagine not being able to stop. Now you have an idea of what happens if you don’t clean or replace the air filters in your HVAC.

Other than helping your HVAC heat up or cool down your home, one of an air filter’s roles is to filter out all of the airborne particles that could threaten your health and well-being. By refusing to clean the filter, pollen, allergens, dander, and dust are all more likely to circulate throughout the house and be breathed in by you and your family. You’re also going to experience twice the amount of dirt and dander thanks to your leaving the gunk build up.

You and your family will not be the only ones to feel worse either. All of that dirt and dust buildup can clog the heat or cold your HVAC is trying to circulate. By not bothering to replace or clean it, you are in turn reducing the lifespan of your HVAC dramatically. Worst case scenario, an extremely clogged filter will lead to a complete premature failure as your HVAC expends too much of its energy to function.

So, bottom line, not taking care of the air filter is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea.

3. Carbon monoxide poisoning

If your home has a furnace, it too can break down in several ones. One of the most dangerous consequences of failing to take care of this HVAC system are gas leaks. A furnace usually comes with a combustion chamber, which is where the gas is transferred and burned to generate heated air. This combustion process also releases carbon monoxide, which is a colourless and odourless toxic gas. A properly cleaned furnace will exhaust the carbon monoxide through the flue vent, leaving your home heated and, most importantly, safe.

However, if the exhaust becomes clogged from lack of maintenance, that’s when trouble can arise. If there’s no carbon monoxide detector in your home either, that’s also dangerous considering how difficult it is to detect carbon monoxide. A clogged exhaust will cause gas to backup within the house, and thus force the carbon monoxide to spread. This is exceedingly dangerous to everyone within if it’s not addressed immediately!

4. Leaks

Not only gas leaks, but also refrigerant leaks are going to be more frequent if you don’t take care of your HVAC. Leaks are one of the most common problems we encounter at Rep-Air, and they can happen for several reasons, from several common causes:

• Dirt and debris is blocking the drain’s hole
• The condenser pump has broken
• The seals on your HVAC unit aren’t tight enough
• The hose is blocked or clogged up with—you guessed it—dirt, debris, and other mucky particles.

Every single one of these scenarios can occur if you decide to not maintain your HVAC. Fixing the problem, as opposed to preventing them from happening, will only add to the cost of repairs.

5. Power problems

Like any mechanical equipment, there are components inside of your HVAC system that have a shelf life. This include power-delivering parts and wires that keep things running smoothly and efficiently.

Neglecting these components if there are smaller issues will definitely turn into expensive, big problems fast. Power fluctuations, frequent shutdowns, and ultimately a complete breakdown can and will occur. They start from the smaller issues we’ve outlined already such as a restricted airflow and lack of cleaning. That’s why we insist that regular maintenance, both on your part as well as by professional technicians, will not only prevent these major issues from happening but also ensures your HVAC’s lifespan is prolonged significantly.

Get the Service Your HVAC Needs!

If you’re experiencing one or more of these issues, give us a call at once. Delaying the fact that your HVAC system needs maintenance and tending to will only make things worse! 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!