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Preventative Steps to Take for Your HVAC This Summer

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Preventative HVAC care tips

Your HVAC unit is one of the most important pieces of equipment for your house or commercial building. It works year-round to ensure your air is clean and safe and that it’s always the right temperature inside. But, as we get closer to summer, it’s time to take some preventative measures to care for your system.

What is Preventative HVAC Care?

Preventative care for your HVAC includes taking steps to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently all year long. Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a professional to maintain your HVAC unit, staying on a consistent schedule can keep you from spending money on costly repairs. 

5 Preventative Tips for Caring for Your HVAC this Summer

  • Filters
  • Clean & clear
  • Dampers
  • Preparation
  • Schedule

HVAC Care Tip #1: Changing Your Filters

HVAC filters are crucial to your system working efficiently. While you should change out your filters before summer starts and you switch over to AC, it is generally recommended that you change your filters monthly to ensure your system stays in top shape. 

Changing your filter regularly helps protect your system from any dust and debris that can accumulate. The filter captures the dust and airborne particles and prevents them from circulating back through your home or building.

HVAC Care Tip #2: Clearing the Area & Cleaning Parts

One of the most important pieces of preventative care for your unit is to keep the area around your outdoor unit clean. Throughout the seasons, confirm you have removed any debris and make a note of any noticeable damage that may need to be addressed. 

Make sure your unit is clear of sticks, leaves, snow, or any other obstructions. While you may have one unit for your home, commercial buildings can have many units that are usually located on the roof. Once you have completed clearing the area and a quick inspection, we recommend cleaning your coils as they are prone to build-up. By ensuring you’re properly caring for your system, it will last longer while still working at its best.

HVAC Care Tip #3: Ensure Your Fire Dampers Are Working Properly

While fire dampers generally do not need to be replaced unless there’s visible damage, it’s important to inspect your fire dampers during maintenance to ensure they are working and in good condition. 

What are Fire Dampers?

Fire dampers are a crucial piece that every system should have. Fire dampers are designed to automatically close when they detect heat above a certain temperature, preventing smoke and fire from traveling throughout your home or business and ultimately saving parts of your house in the event of a fire. 

How Often Should My Fire Dampers Be Inspected?

Fire dampers should be inspected one year after installation and then every four years. During standard HVAC maintenance care, a technician will look at them to ensure your fire dampers are not damaged, but a full inspection is not needed outside of that timeframe.

Types of Fire Dampers

Combination Fire & Smoke Dampers – These dampers prevent both smoke and fire from spreading. Lloyd Industries offers a transition option for oval, square, and rectangular systems.

Corridor Fire/Smoke Dampers – Keep your building up to code with these dampers and choose between a one-hour low or ultra-low leakage. Again, your Lloyd Industries rep can help you choose the best fit for your building.

Dynamic Fire Dampers – These use a spring to close the curtain blades against air pressure and velocity. Most importantly, these are used where an HVAC systems blower remains on in the event of a fire.

Static Fire Dampers – Dampers like these are triggered when the building’s fire system goes off. As a result, no air can pass through the ducts or any part of the building.

A Lloyd Industries technician will know which fire damper will work best for your system. If you have recently inspected your system and are unsure if your fire dampers or other parts need to be replaced, consider reaching out to one of our technicians at Lloyd Industries. The company’s technicians have been working with fire dampers for over 35 years and will be able to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

HVAC Care Tip #4: Prepare Your Area

Prepare your area and maximize your system’s cooling. Overusing your air conditioning can put a large strain on your system and cause issues down the line. If you can, invest in sun-blocking shades, keeping them closed during the hottest parts of the day to maintain the cool air throughout.

If there are fans throughout your area, utilize them to help circulate the air by turning them clockwise to direct the cool air down. By taking these steps to ensure your system doesn’t have to work overtime, your HVAC system will continue to work efficiently and have a longer life cycle.

HVAC Care Tip #5: Schedule Future Maintenance

If you feel confident in your abilities to complete these HVAC care tips yourself, set up time in your calendar to ensure you are doing it on a routine basis. If you aren’t feeling as confident or don’t have the time, choosing a technician and setting up routine maintenance can provide peace of mind that your system is being well taken care of. Lloyd Industries technicians cover all of the steps above and take care of other tasks, too.

The other maintenance tasks that are completed include:

  • Ductwork testing and repair (if applicable)
  • Cleaning and sanitizing all ductwork
  • Fire and smoke damper testing
  • Offer recommendations to your system and repairs if needed

Choosing a Lloyd Industries Technician

If you aren’t sure where to find a technician for your needs, Lloyd Industries has you covered. Lloyd Industries has been a top manufacturer in the business for over 35 years. It has continued to hone its craft and provide services for customers, including affordable pricing, inventory, exceptional customer service, and more.

Lloyd Industries has technicians in every state that you can reach out to for a quote and even schedule routine maintenance with. They are trained to take care of your HVAC system, whether changing out filters, performing full maintenance, or providing a quote for replacement parts. Lloyd Industries prides itself on serving its customers, keeping its products up to code, and developing new products daily.

We hope you are feeling good about your preventative care plan for your HVAC system and are ready to set up your maintenance. This year, you can be ready for whatever the seasons throw at you knowing your system is working efficiently.

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