Do-It-Yourself Furnace MaintenanceDo-It-Yourself Furnace Maintenance

Preventing a major HVAC issue is easier to do if you maintain specific areas throughout your system. Sometimes people overlook these parts, which is a problem if you want your system to perform properly during the upcoming years.

The Outside Fan

One area that some people neglect to maintain is the fan for the outside compressor unit. This fan needs to stay in good condition to keep the airflow moving properly when the unit is on.

A few problems arise when the blades of the fan are bent or broken. The most common issue is reduced airflow, because the blades cannot push enough air through the compressor. When this occurs, your home will fail to receive enough cold air to cool it properly.

Another issue that happens when the fan is damaged is no cold air is produced. The fan needs to circulate the air at a specific speed so that the coolant can lower the temperature of the air that goes into your home. In many cases, damaged fans fail to spin at all, which means no cold air is sent into your home.

Routine inspections of your outside compressor will highlight this problem. Most technicians will find a damaged blade and request that you replace the fan. In a number of situations, replacing this piece when minimal damage has occurred will stop the fan from breaking apart.

The Interior Evaporator Drain Line

One of the byproducts of running an air conditioner is that the internal unit creates condensation. This condensation needs to leave your home so it does not create puddles of water around the furnace. One way the unit does this is by collecting and sending the water out through the evaporator drain line.

This simple drainage line however, can cause you some major issues if you do not maintain it properly. For example, if your drain line clogs up with debris such as dust, insulation particles or other items, then the water has no place to go.

The unit has a collection pan for the water and sends it down the line, but as the pan fills up another issue happens. The furnace has a fail-safe, so when the pan fills up to a specific height, the unit turns off. This action is to prevent the water from getting into the unit and doing any damage. The unit will not turn back on until the water is gone.

With this in mind, you must routinely inspect the pan for excess water, especially if you have been using the air conditioner a lot. If you find the excess water in the pan, a technician like those at Phil's Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. can help remove the clog in the drain by forcing air into the line. Maintaining this area and the fan are just a few spots that need your attention to keep your unit running during the warmer months of the year.