Common HVAC Mistakes to Avoid

by Qarah Ict Qarah ICT

The HVAC system requires careful installation, maintenance, and control to function at peak efficiency; that's why it's one of your home's most expensive and energy-hungry aspects. Common HVAC mistakes that cause inefficiencies can occur during installation, maintenance, and improper operation. Ensure these mistakes don't weaken your system, costing you money and reducing your system's life span.

Improperly Sized HVAC System

HVAC System too large or too small for your house represents one of the most severe mistakes to avoid. A system too small for the home may never catch up to demand. It works harder and runs longer, using more energy and reducing its life span.

When significant, the unit cycles on and off in short eruptions, never handling humidity or cycling the air in the home. The constant on-and-off cycling also pressures the HVAC system and shortens the life span.

Over-Restrictive Air Filter

Third-party air-filter manufacturers can deceive you into one of the common HVAC errors: Using aggressive air filters. These products take the debris out of the air as small enough to trap viruses.

Air filters protect your blower from dirt and debris damaging the system. If you want your HVAC system to work double-duty as a whole-house air-filtration system, ensure the installer knows that before completing the cost.

Those expensive, over-restrictive filters impede airflow, robbing your system of efficiency and reducing its life, which costs you a lot in the long run. An installer can compensate you for that restrictive filter by enlarging the ductwork, which keeps air flowing properly.

Installing Outdoor Coils very Close to Blockages

In an HVAC system, the coil unit outside the home must stay at or near the ambient air temperature. Attempts to disguise the team with landscaping can cause the air around the coils to circulate again. In that condition, the air flowing through the unit can run about 20 degrees hotter than the ambient air.

Using Cleaners on the Coils

The most effective way to preserve the optimal performance of the HVAC system is by keeping it clean. However, another common HVAC mistake is cleaners that introduce acidic or alkaline substances. You can clean the coils sufficiently with a stream of low-pressure water. I recommend you switch off the power to the unit first, then put your thumb over the mouth of a garden hose and carefully wash down the coils and cooling fins. Again, ensure to turn off the power to the unit before attempting to open the top.

Failing to Include a Return in a Room With a Door

An air return helps air cycle through your house by routing air from the room back to the furnace-A/C blower to be warmed or cooled again and sent back to the house. However, opening a vent in a room without a return technically can meet the code.

If the door to a room containing a vent with no return gets closed, the pressure in that room goes positive, forcing the rest of the home into a negative-pressure state. The negative pressure pulls air into the house from any opening, circumventing the HVAC system and possibly trapping exhaust from gas appliances inside your home.

HVAC Charleston is designed to cover every contingency that may arise during the life of your air conditioner, heat pump, furnace, heater, or entire HVAC system.