Homeowner Advice Thread

[Hawkeye OG]

Looking for some thoughts on HVAC maintenance. Do you all pay for annual maintenance on your A/C and Furnace? I bought my house last year, brand new, so I haven't had to do much to it so far, but have always read annual maintenance on your A/C and Furnace should be done. Is this necessary on a 1 year old HVAC system? Can you DIY? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Arson.

 

[Ares]

I bought my furnace and AC new when I moved in 4 years ago..... the guy installing it was my Dad's friend, but he does it for a living.

Neither of them said anything to me about maintenance other than changing the furnace filter once a month.

I am skeptical that yearly "maintenance" is vital.... any idea what kind of maintenance people were talking about?

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Arson.

Can you look into Brown County HVAC companies for me? TIA.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

I bought my furnace and AC new when I moved in 4 years ago..... the guy installing it was my Dad's friend, but he does it for a living.

Neither of them said anything to me about maintenance other than changing the furnace filter once a month.

I am skeptical that yearly "maintenance" is vital.... any idea what kind of maintenance people were talking about?

It's just preventative maintenance. Probably a full visual and point review to check all the working parts of your furnace and duct system to catch any potential issues. Lube. Pilot and Gas pressure eval. I've read that its more important on old working HVAC systems. Kinda like going to a dentist every 6 months though - is is really necessary? No, but could save some problems down the road.

That's why I was wondering if we had any experts out there and I could just DIY it, but not opposed to paying a premium if it's worth it. I'd rather not pay a technician to come out to my house on a Sunday if the heat goes out and it could be prevented, ya know?

 

[Tater]

Just replace the furnace filter regularly. You can always vacuum out the inside before starting it the first time when it gets cold, but mine still smells like burnt dust the first time it starts after not being used for a while.

 

[Ares]

Just replace the furnace filter regularly. You can always vacuum out the inside before starting it the first time when it gets cold, but mine still smells like burnt dust the first time it starts after not being used for a while.

Mine too, I feel it is nigh unavoidable TBH.

 

[Burque]

Change your filters a few times a year and look at the fins on your ac unit a couple times during the season to make sure they aren't dirty/clogged

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[Burque]

If they are you can use fin CCleaner and then house it off or a paint brush to gently clean... I emphasize gently as you do not want to bend them while cleaning

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[Globetrotter]

I use a washable filter that I clean every month. I'll clean the evaporator coils every 6 months with a mild detergent and a hose with very low pressure. I'll also vacuum/bang/brush the ducts once a year.

 

[clonetrooper264]

When I got my place I had the HVAC checked because the previous owners didn't do jack for appliance maintenance. The guy said just change the filters regularly and I should be fine going forward. I doubt you need an annual check.

 

[Crystallas]

Adding to what was said, just look for corrosion. As a home owner and car owner, this should be a basic skill to save your ass later. Learn where to look, inspect every so often and there ya go. Don't get ripped off by up-sells.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Thanks gents.

 

[Monster]

No idea... the butler handles maintenance.

 

[Tater]

No idea... the butler handles maintenance.

disliked.

 

[1COBearsfan]

To add a bit more, yes you can diy a lot on a furnace. Our blower fan exploded over the summer and instead of paying someone ~$1000 to replace it I did it myself. There are plenty of resources on the interwebs about what to do and what not to do.

 

[BearFanJohn]

You can do it yourself. We don't and have the company we have used for many years come twice per year. Check filters, turn on heat in fall and AC in the spring. Probably over-kill but more than one have they found an issue. Nothing like cranking the air the first super-hot day and getting nothing. And, if that happens it will likely be a few days before anyone can get to you. Unless you have a contract, which we did, and they cam out in a couple of hours.

This is a personal financial decision.

 

[brett05]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=diy+air+conditioner+cleaning

 

[airtime143]

Looking for some thoughts on HVAC maintenance. Do you all pay for annual maintenance on your A/C and Furnace? I bought my house last year, brand new, so I haven't had to do much to it so far, but have always read annual maintenance on your A/C and Furnace should be done. Is this necessary on a 1 year old HVAC system? Can you DIY? Any advice is appreciated!

I never did before- I had an ancient furnace in the house I live in.
It finally went out and had to be replaced.
Part of the warranty stipulates it needs an annual checkup, so the company that put it in does it every fall for a minimal charge.

I doubt I will continue after the warranty expires though.

 

[modo]

yes.....get it checked out. A maintenance company will come in and take it apart and clean it. There is a fan in there that needs regular maintenance. Also change your filter out. If you have pets, once a month. If not your mileage may vary but once every 3 months at a minimum.

Also, don't use the crazy filters that filter out bacteria and ridiculously small particles....those just restrict airflow.