As a resident of Aiken, SC, you’ve had your fair amount of sweltering, stuffy days throughout the summer. But what if your home’s airflow never appears to improve, even as the temperature cools down? Continue reading to learn about the importance of good airflow and ways to improve it in your home.
Why Does Airflow Matter?
The capacity of your system to distribute air throughout your HVAC system and home is critical. The rotating fan sucks air in via the return vents, resulting in reduced pressure at those locations. It then purifies it and pushes it out, causing great pressure at the exit vents.
This pressure differential is what causes air movement in your house when the system is running. This stops air from turning stale and allows the entire house to be adequately cooled or heated.
To generate these pressure variations, the air inside the system must move freely. Any limitation affects the efficiency of your system, leading to longer run cycles. It also puts strain on your system, resulting in unnecessary HVAC maintenance and reduced service life.
Check the Vents
The basic step in ensuring optimal circulation throughout your house is to check that all vents are open and unimpeded. Closed or obstructed vents prevent the pressure differential from generating circulation.
To ensure clearance around your vents, there must be room above and around every floor vent. Make sure ceiling vents aren’t covered by drapes or furniture. The goal is to maintain a couple of inches of space around each vent.
Inspect Your Air Filters
Next, make it a habit to inspect and to change your air filters on a regular basis. As air enters your system, airborne impurities settle on the filter, gradually limiting the flow of air through it.
Generally, you should replace filters every 90 days. However, your air conditioner and filter type may differ. Checking your air filter every month guarantees that you detect air filter issues before they hamper airflow and strain your system.
Gently vacuum the inlet side of your air filters when checking them to eliminate loose particles and to increase their service life. Make sure you just vacuum the inlet side of the air filter since pulling pollutants through the air filter may damage it.
Check the Ducts
Although air filters catch dust, grime and other indoor pollutants, keeping them from infiltrating your HVAC unit can improve airflow. A variety of reasons can allow airborne pollutants to enter. Many houses in Aiken have ductwork with cracks and leaks, allowing dust and other materials to enter.
These contaminants can build up over time and clog the airflow via your ductwork. Luckily, duct cleaning and sealing will usually resolve this issue. If you feel that blocked ducts are causing your airflow to slow, contact our experts to have a closer look.
Schedule HVAC Maintenance
To maintain the rated efficiency of your HVAC system, you must service it on a regular basis. Most manufacturers believe this is so critical that they require it as a condition of keeping their guarantees.
This maintenance should ideally take place twice a year, once in the springtime for the AC system and once in the autumn for the heating unit. The purpose is to minimize airflow constraints and to detect small issues before they become major issues.
In the spring, a professional will meticulously clean the condensing and evaporator coils. The major maintenance in the fall concentrates on the exchangers and reversing valve in the heating system. They also clean the rotating fan to verify that it’s drawing the proper quantity of air.
A professional will also lube the fan components and inspect the electrical connections. This specialist will examine the refrigerant level in the spring to verify that it’s sufficient for the unit to cool adequately.
Don’t put up with bad indoor air quality or poor airflow. Call Doc Savage Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. to learn more about our healthy home solutions.
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