In the Texas heat, keeping a cool house is important. Kim Svetlik, co-owner of True Fix A/C & Heating, provides ways to keep heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—or HVAC—units in good condition for the hot summer days.
Why is maintenance important?
If [homeowners] don’t keep up with the necessary things that need to be cleaned and changed, it will shorten the life of the equipment or cause a malfunction. We do not highly recommend cleaning air ducts often, but we replace ductwork that’s very old or suffered damage. Instead [of the ductwork], the filters are what’s important to get changed often. Some people change their filters every month when they pay their light bill, which is more often than you have to. If you change your filters at least quarterly then your house breathes better.
What are the best ways for a homeowner to save money on electric bills while remaining energy efficient?
If they have a programmable thermostat they can set for when they’re away that helps cut back a little. When you force your unit to go hot and cold [too often], it’s not good for the unit.
What are common reasons for poor indoor air flow?
Shutting vents is not a good idea because you are supposed to have air flow through the home. The way a technician puts in the units and ductwork needs to have an even flow throughout the house.
How long should a homeowner wait to replace their units?
Homeowners try to replace parts of their units one at a time, but it seems that when you put old with new it does not extend the life of the unit. Quality units can work for up to eight years.
How can homeowners tell when their units need to be fixed?
A lot of the times the units shut down after a storm or power surges. When the power flickers, the thermostat won’t come on correctly. An easy fix for a homeowner is to find the switch, [which is] similar to a light switch, on the unit and turn it off and on. Then, give it time to reset. Another way to tell [a unit needs repair] is if the [air conditioner] is blowing hot air. It can be the refrigerant freezing up, which means there could be a leak. If you turn off the unit and wait until the refrigerant thaws and then turn it back on the house will cool down again, but you will need to get the leak fixed.
281-392-9334. 25218 Lakeview, Katy. www.truefixairconditioning.com/
