Safety Tips for Your HVAC System

Safety Tips for Your HVAC System

  Your heating and cooling appliances help keep your home comfortable throughout the year, but without regular inspection and maintenance, they can become a threat to your family’s safety. These tips can help you keep on top of necessary maintenance and the professional attention these appliances need to remain safe and efficient all year round. Maintain Your Heating and Cooling Systems In addition to boosting your energy efficiency and, thus, saving you money during operation, proper maintenance can help prevent common safety issues with a heating and cooling systems. Here are some basic tasks you need to stay on top of: Clean and replace the air filter regularly. Clogged filters can result in toxic carbon monoxide fumes leaking into your home. Replace furnace filters once every three months and AC filters once per month during the summer. Clear blockages and debris. Remove weeds and overgrowth within a 2-foot radius of your HVAC unit and have your technician check for blocked or faulty pressure release valves on your boiler. Prevent electrical fires. You can inspect all of your electrical cords for fraying or cuts and ensure none of them are buried beneath rugs or furniture. Plug window AC units directly into a wall, never an extension cord. And make sure your technician checks for loose connections — these can be dangerous and often occur with the natural heat expansion and contraction in heat pump units. Use a surge protector. In the event of a power surge, this device will shut down your heating and cooling unit to prevent damage to the system. Keep Your Family Safe Kids and pets need to be kept away from...