Regular HVAC maintenance is essential for the conservation of energy and, consequently, more valuable for you and the environment. The parts of an HVAC system may work together in harmony, like an orchestra, or they may work together but not in such a way as to conserve energy (like an orchestra warming up). Routine service "tunes" an HVAC system so that all its components, like the musicians in an orchestra, are doing their jobs in the most efficient way possible. Specific items that appear on a routine service checklist are: (1) cleansing or replacing air filters; (2) inspecting the air handler and the heat exchanger; (3) scanning with a flashlight as far as one can see into the ductwork; (4) making sure that a thermostat is accurately measuring the temperature. Performing these tasks, and doing them properly, helps avoid temperatures that are too high or too low from being generated by an HVAC system in parts that are not designed to do so.
HVAC systems need regular maintenance to prevent performance deterioration; otherwise, the decline often goes unnoticed until a serious issue crops up. Accumulation of dust and debris, leaks, and problems with aging parts can force the system to work harder—using a lot more energy in the process—to keep the house at the desired temperature. Those inefficiencies reduce the comfort of the living space, and we often don't notice that the comfort has been reduced until it gets too serious and the system breaks down. Or we might notice that, okay, maybe it still works, but it's not running as efficiently as it could or should, and so it might be on the path toward some kind of breakdown.
Complementing the energy savings and enhanced reliability of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system that receives routine maintenance, the units provide superior indoor air quality. Over time, they accumulate dust, pollen, and other pollutants. These are not confined to the components of the system but build up in the ducts and get recirculated throughout the living space. Not only does this mean that the system has to work harder to achieve and maintain the set point, but it also means that the occupants are living with a kind of poor air quality that is, as the experts put it, a too-quiet health hazard. Regular cleaning and timely filtering of the system's components can forestall this health issue, as can achieving and maintaining the kind of superior indoor air quality that means less energy consumption and no unhealthful air.