Ignore HVAC Maintenance and Face These Consequences

The consequences of ignoring HVAC maintenance may be costly to your comfort, budget and safety. HVAC contractors provide routine maintenance checks for your cooling and heating equipment to keep it running as efficiently and safely as possible. Neglecting this maintenance lays the groundwork for a host of largely avoidable mechanical and electrical issues.

Increased Energy Consumption

When an HVAC technician goes through your system, he or she cleans parts that may be difficult or impossible for you to access. Over time, dust can coat all the components, reducing their efficiency. Dirt can slow the fan blades, increasing the time it takes to condition your home.

Electrical and mechanical parts retain heat longer and dust and corrosion slow the flow of electricity through the system, reducing its performance. Running your system with a clogged air filter or a blocked outdoor condenser increases the wear on all its parts, as well as increasing energy consumption measurably.

More Serious Scenarios

Two of the three most serious consequences of ignoring HVAC maintenance involve safety. When dust builds inside the blower compartment, it may cover the heat exchanger, which is used in combustion furnaces. The dust insulates the heat exchanger, keeping it hot longer, which may cause it to crack prematurely. A crack in this part can emit deadly carbon monoxide into your home’s air.

Dirt and corrosion building on the electrical components impedes the flow of electricity. As the movement slows, the parts retain heat and it sets the stage for part failure and overheating, which can start a fire, whether the system is set to cool or heat.

The blower compartment also contains an evaporator coil that the A/C uses to absorb the heat from your home. When it’s covered with dust or dirt, it may freeze over. If your system doesn’t automatically turn off, it can burn out the compressor, one of the most expensive parts to replace in an HVAC system.

For more information about the consequences of ignoring HVAC maintenance, contact Stack Heating & Cooling. We’ve provided trusted HVAC services for greater Cleveland homeowners since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about HVAC maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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