Name: Bounds Heating & Air
Address: 25645 West, Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669
Telephone: 352-472-2761

5 Things You Should Check During Winter HVAC Maintenance

With winter underway, it’s time to perform some HVAC maintenance to ensure you’ll be comfortable all winter long. Bounds Heating and Air share the things you shouldn’t miss when you inspect your HVAC system.

How Often Should You Replace Air Filters in Your Home?

Ideally, air filters should be checked at least every six months, then once a month during cooling and heating seasons. This is a critical step if your home has a split system heat pump, as the same system is basically pulling double-duty for the whole year. Make it a point to clean the air filters (or replace them, if disposable) when they’re dirty.

How to Clean Heat Registers

Just like the air filters, the grilles and registers should be clean and free from obstructions. Brush the grilles to remove dust and dirt, or wash and dry them if removable. Anything that’s blocking the registers can reduce their efficiency so make sure the vents are not blocked by furniture, carpets, or rugs.

How to Clean Furnace Heating Coils

Both condenser and heating coils should be clean, otherwise, the dirt could affect your heating system’s efficiency. Depending on the type of HVAC system, it may require professional cleaning. If this is the case, contact an HVAC repair expert like Bounds Heating and Air before winter sets in.

How to Test a Thermostat

Test the thermostat and make sure it works. You might need to perform some troubleshooting in case it’s not working. Check the contacts first and make sure they’re clean. You may need to change the batteries and reset the thermostat. When you’re feeling air but it’s not warm, try setting the thermostat a few degrees higher, wait a few minutes until you feel warm air, then set it back to your ideal temperature.

Check Other Non-HVAC Components

In addition to the heating system, check other parts of your home that could affect your HVAC system’s performance. Those include checking windows for drafts, as well as inspecting the weatherstripping on your windows and entry doors. An airtight, insulated enclosure ensures your heating system doesn’t consume more energy than it should.

To learn more about our heating and air conditioning repair, maintenance, and installation services, call Bounds Heating and Air today at 352-472-2761. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a free estimate. We serve Newberry, FL, and surrounding areas in Florida.

Are You Changing Your Air Filter Often Enough?

With the seasons changing, it’s important to think about HVAC system maintenance. Part of maintenance is making sure that you’re changing your air filter often enough, but the problem is that most people are unaware of how frequently they should replace it. Honestly, there isn’t an entirely straightforward answer, as there are several factors involved – such as the type of filter, whether there are pets in the home, the level of overall air pollution, and more. Generally, it’s recommended that filters are changed every 1-3 months.

It’s important to determine how often you should change your air filter, for both your wallet and health. The U.S. Department of Energy found that replacing a dirty filter reduces AC energy consumption by 5-10%, and a dirty filter will circulate pollutants throughout your house. While we can recommend how often you should plan to change your filter based on your lifestyle, you should also check yourself to see if it becomes dirty earlier than expected.

Filter Type

Filters come in different shapes and materials and vary greatly in quality. Generally, the less expensive your filter, the less it will do to clean your air, and the more frequently it will need to be replaced. Most filters indicate how often they need to change on the packaging. You can look at the percentage of particles that different filters will capture to compare how it will affect air quality.

Pet Dander

If you have animals in your home you will need to change your filter more frequently. Keep your animals well-groomed to mitigate the pet dander in the air, and to maximize your filter’s life. It’s also important to keep the seasons in mind as a pet owner; you may need to change your filter more often during the summer when animals tend to shed.

Allergies

If someone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma, you should replace the filter more frequently than recommended for optimal air quality and to avoid aggravating their symptoms. If your filter is dirty, it won’t effectively capture allergens.

Overall Air Pollution

It all comes down to the overall amount of air pollution in your house. If you’re in an area with a construction or city with high pollution, you should change your filter more frequently. If you have a single-person household without any pets or a vacation home you rarely visit, you can replace your filter less often. When in doubt take a look at the filter, if it’s noticeably gray and you can see dust and dirt, it’s definitely time for a change.

It’s important to get your HVAC system maintenance to prevent expensive issues from arising and to keep it running efficiently. If you live in the Gainesville area, give Bounds Heating and Air a call at (352) 472-2761 to schedule your maintenance appointment, or visit our website to learn more about our preventative maintenance services.

Choosing the Best Air Filter for Your Home

Typically when people experience problems with their home air quality, they associate the issue with malfunctions within the HVAC system as a whole. Although, one thing that people tend to overlook is their air filter. Do you remember the last time you changed your air filter? Air filters serve as a barrier that prevents harmful debris, pollutants, pollen, and dust, from entering into your home. Depending on the amount of activity and or pets in your home, it is recommended to change your air filters every 60 to 90 days. Lack of replacing air filters in your home can lead to:

The increase of allergens and dust in your home, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, colds, and more!
Dirty ducts as the filter pump debris through your system and home.
Airflow blockage as the A/C isn’t able to maintain levels of airflow causing the system to malfunction, take longer to cool, and increase your home energy bill.

Now that you know the importance of changing your air filter, it’s time to pick the best one for your home. If you’ve ever gone shopping for an air filter, you may have noticed that there isn’t just one size fits all. The team at Bounds Heating and Air has compiled a few things to consider while you’re shopping.

Reference Your Manufacturer’s Instructions

Check out your manufacturer guidelines, here is will you will find suggested filters to use for your specific system in your home. One thing to pay special attention to when referencing your guide is the suggested air filter size. This is a spec that can not be altered, this will ensure that your filter is a perfect fit which allows it to function correctly for the safety of your home.

Disposable or Washable

Choosing a disposable or washable air filter is based on preference. Disposable air filters a convenient option as they can easily be disposed of and replaced. Washable air filters are known for their longevity, as they can be reused several times after each clean.

MERV Rating

The MERV rating, also known as the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value tells you the average efficiency of the air filter that you are looking to purchase. MERV rating range from 1 to 20.

MERV ratings 1 – 4 are primarily used to block larger debris from entering your home.
MERV rating 5 – 8 are known to filter up to 70% of dust, mold spores, and other particles.
MERV ratings 9 – 12 are one of the higher quality filters trapping up to 90% of debris and in-home pollutants.
MERV ratings 13 – 20 are typically used for commercial buildings and not for residential use, but they are known to filter airborne particles such as viruses and bacteria.

Now that you know how to shop for home air filters, another easy way to keep up with when to change your filters is by writing the date on the filter when it’s replaced. And if you are interested in finding out more information on air filters or how to improve your air quality, reach out to Bounds Heating and Air today!

Category: Air Filter