Congratulations on your new home! As you move in, you may be marking off some tasks on your new homeowner checklist, such as checking the maintenance status on all of your home’s existing features and systems, including your Charleston HVAC. Your heating and cooling systems are an important part of your new home. It keeps you and your family warm and cozy throughout cold winters and comfortably cool during the sweltering summer days. Charleston AC systems have a big role in making your house feel like the home you want to retreat to. Use our AGL homeowner checklist to give you a basic rundown of how to protect your Charleston heating and air system and keep it in top condition.

New Homeowner Checklist: Charleston HVAC Edition

1. Learn Your Charleston HVAC System

The maintenance you need will depend on your system. Different features and brands require different types of upkeep. If you don’t already know the details of your Charleston air conditioning system, you’ll need to know:

• The manufacturer and their warranty
• The date of the last maintenance check
• Whether your system is propane, natural gas, or electric
• If the system has ducts or is ductless
• If the system is a split or packaged system

If some of these terms are unfamiliar, scroll through our glossary to get your bearings. You may also want to visit our FAQs section for answers to some of the most common Charleston heating and air conditioning questions.

2. Make Sure Your Air Ducts Are Clean

No new homeowner checklist would be complete without ensuring that your HVAC ducts are clean! No heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system can truly do its job if its ducts are dirty. Dirty HVAC ducts are bad for your heating and air system maintenance, but they can also be harmful to your family. Cleaning your ducts will minimize the circulation of allergens and bacteria.

3. Check Your Windows for Their R-Value

Windows are a common culprit of letting heat or cool air out and letting in air from outside. This gets to be a problem with severe or seasonal weather patterns. Even if your Charleston heating and air system is in great condition if your air is constantly slipping through your window frames and window panes, it can end up increasing your electric bills.

In the industry, we use the term ‘R-Value’ to talk about thermal efficiency, or how well your insulation system keeps heat inside. ‘R’ stands for resistance. The higher the R-value of your windows, the better they are at preventing heat from escaping. If you feel a persistent draft from your windows, you may need to invest in thermal efficient panes and check the seals around the frame.

4. Check the Thermostat

Install a smart thermostat if your home doesn’t have one already. This allows you to have more control over the temperature of your home, and the efficiency of your electricity.

The smart thermostat can help indicate if there are problems with your system. If the temperature of your home isn’t the temperature you’ve programmed it to be, it could signal a need for system maintenance. Check that all of your settings are correct, and call a professional if needed.

5. Change Filters

Keeping your filters clean is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent problems, yet it’s also a commonly forgotten step. A dirty filter chokes an AC system. Accumulated dust particles prevent proper airflow, so no cool air or heat circulates throughout the home. This increases your electric bill because your system is working overtime. The extra strain on the system also increases your chance for Charleston, SC, HVAC failures in the future.

Bottom line: always change your filters. Change them at least once every season if you can.

6. Schedule System Maintenance

Routine maintenance can help catch concerns before they become problems. It’s similar to healthcare in the sense that, the earlier you catch and diagnose a red flag, the better chance you’ll have at mitigating or solving the problem.

The industry standard is to have your heating and air conditioning system checked twice a year, but if you live in an area with severe weather patterns including hotter than average summers or colder than normal winters, your Charleston, SC, HVAC probably works overtime. You may want to schedule more maintenance at the beginning of each of these seasons to ensure your system is in optimal condition before you really need it.

7. Clean the Area Around Your Outdoor Unit

It’s important to keep debris away from your outdoor air conditioning unit, particularly away from your heat pump. Clear an area of at least two feet around your unit, removing any overgrown foliage, shrubs, or other hazards.

8. Check Vents and Returns

Air can’t circulate or distribute evenly throughout your home if personal objects or furniture are blocking the vents. Create clear pathways from your vents to return points by rearranging room layouts and keeping doors open or closed, depending on how you want to direct the circulation.

Our AGL Homeowner Checklist Won’t Lead you Astray

The proper HVAC maintenance can keep your system running smoothly and your home feeling comfortable all year long. The New AGL Homeowner Checklist to Charleston AC systems should give you a good idea of how to do this. If you ever need help or more detailed answers to your questions, our technicians are just a phone call away.