As a homeowner, you probably only think about your heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system after noticing how uncomfortable your home is. Since your HVAC system consumes approximately half of your annual energy costs, you should understand what it is and how it works. Here is some essential information that you need to know about your HVAC system that will enable you to determine when something isn’t right with it.

What to Know About Your HVAC System

1. Type of System

There are numerous types of heating and air conditioning systems available today. Knowing which type you own helps you to take better care of it. There are single- and multi-stage systems that either run at one speed or multiple speeds to meet the heating and cooling demands of your home.  In general, multi-stage system are more energy efficient.  Zoned heating and cooling systems allow you to divide your home into zones to maintain ideal comfort and lower energy costs. Zoned systems are perfect for fixing those rooms that over heat or are colder than the rest of the house. Also, some systems are heat-only systems (furnaces, boilers) or cooling-only (certain mini-split systems, window A/C systems).  Understanding what features your system has will help you decide if your HVAC system needs serviced, repaired, upgraded or replaced.

2. Age of the System

How well you care for your HVAC system plays a significant role in how long it lasts. Most systems have an expected life span, and at this point, their efficiency can start to falter. Knowing the age of your system helps you decide if repairs still make financial sense or if you’d be better off upgrading. Replacing systems older than 10 years generally improves your home’s energy efficiency, yet, depending on the quality of the equipment, many systems can last as long as 15 or 20 years. 

3. Maintenance Needed for the System

Your heating and air conditioning system needs maintenance throughout the year to continue running safely, smoothly and efficiently. For optimal results, have a trained contractor perform an inspection before summer and winter each year to look for broken parts and potential issues that could result in a costly breakdown. You also need to maintain a checklist of the monthly, seasonal, and annual maintenance you can perform on your own. This includes tasks like changing the air filter, removing dirt and debris from the outdoor unit, ensuring vents are unobstructed, and visually inspecting the system for corrosion or other damage.

When you need quality maintenance work on your heating and air conditioning system, turn to the trusted and experienced pros at Jon’s Plumbing & Heating. For over two decades, our family-owned and -operated company has provided plumbing and HVAC services to Ohio’s Knox, Ashland, and Richmond counties. Our technicians are licensed, certified, and highly skilled in their trade. When it’s time to replace your system, we also offer quality products from Armstrong Air®, Bosch®, and Mitsubishi Electric®. Call us today at (740) 392-5667 to schedule an appointment, and visit our website for more information about our maintenance agreements.