Since June is National Safety Month, let’s spend a little time talking about HVAC safety in your home. A little bit of attention and prevention goes a long way toward keeping your family safe!

Your HVAC system should provide years of dependable service without interruption. However, sometimes HVAC systems do malfunction or lose efficiency. When this happens, it’s usually best to contact the HVAC professionals to have your system inspected – it’s unsafe to attempt HVAC repairs on your own. Also, an annual preventative maintenance check-up is the best way to avoid a breakdown. You can do the following easy tasks on your own, though, to help prevent problems with your system and keep your family safe.

Install detectors

Another significant addition to HVAC system safety is to install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. They are essential if your home has a gas furnace. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that can be very dangerous. Play it safe. It’s equally important to routinely check the batteries in your CO detectors and smoke detectors on a regular basis. At the very least, this should be done once each year.

Change your filters often

It’s also vital to replace your system’s filter at regular intervals. Depending on the amount of use that your system receives, checking your filter monthly and changing it at least every other month can make all the difference in your system’s performance and long-term reliability. In fact, a poorly-maintained system whose filter is rarely or never changed is far more likely to experience problems and even fail long before it should.

Pay attention to your system’s operation

Finally, an important safety strategy that should never be overlooked is always to make sure that your air ducts remain clean and clear of debris. Having your air ducts cleaned yearly will ensure that bacteria, mold, mildew, and dust don’t accumulate in your home. Not only can dirty ducts create unhealthy indoor air, but they can also cause your system to malfunction or even fail.

Keep your system free of obstructions

In many homes, storage space can be at a premium, but don’t be tempted to pile boxes and other items around your furnace. At the very least, you’ll impede its airflow and cause it to work less efficiently, but you could also potentially cause a gas leak or even a fire! If things keep piling up near your system, consider using floor tape to designate a “no storage” zone around it, to remind family members not to stack things too close.

Follow these simple and sensible safety tips to ensure that your heating and cooling system operates the way it should without interruption. If you ever experience any trouble, remember that Hey Neighbor Heating & Cooling is always ready and waiting to help out – that’s how neighbors should treat neighbors!™