Maryland Air Conditioning and Heating Companies

Heating and Air Conditioning in Maryland

How to increase your HVAC system’s efficiency

When you own a home, it’s hard to escape the talk about energy efficiency, and that’s for a good reason. An efficient home has a smaller impact on our environment, and it costs less for you to inhabit. Efficiency applies to all the major systems in your home, but the HVAC system is likely where you’ll see the clearest difference in your monthly expenses.

So how do you increase your HVAC system’s efficiency? Check out this list for an overview of simple steps to take:

• Stay on top of regular maintenance. Arrange for your HVAC technician to perform two annual maintenance checks: one in the spring, before the summer temperatures arrive, and another in the fall, after the sweltering heat fades.
• Change air filters regularly. Dirty air filters can make your HVAC system work harder than necessary, causing your utility bills to rise. Change furnace filters quarterly; monthly if you have pets or allergies.
• Adjust your thermostat settings. During the winter, keep your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Bump it down a few degrees when you leave the house. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer (and a few degrees warmer when you’re away from home).

If these tips don’t seem to make much difference, or if your home’s HVAC system is near (or past) the end of its expected lifespan, your best bet is to talk to a reputable heating and air conditioning contractor about a system replacement.

Heating and air conditioning system maintenance

Regular maintenance visits are the best thing you can do to keep your HVAC system working as it should and extend its lifespan. Your technician will do a thorough inspection of the various parts of the system, alerting you to any issues that need to be addressed. Curious about exactly what the technician will be doing?

Here’s a list of basic tasks you can expect your HVAC tech to do:

• Check your thermostat settings
• Replace air filters
• Remove dirt and debris from the outside air conditioner compressor
• Check all electrical connections to make sure they’re tight and working correctly
• Check the furnace fan for signs of damage
• Lubricate moving mechanical parts to promote smooth and even operation
• Inspect the condensate drain to look for clogs
• Test the entire system to ensure proper function

This list may vary somewhat depending on the type of heating or air conditioning system you have—boilers, heat pumps, and high-velocity systems, for example, may require a slightly different set of inspection tasks.

Regardless of the type of HVAC system you have, be sure to stick to a semiannual inspection schedule to catch any small issues before they snowball in scope and in cost.

The Best Picks for Maryland Air Conditioning and Heating Contractors

The Best Pick Reports survey team reaches out to Maryland homeowners each year to find the best heating and air conditioning companies in your area.

We vet all Best Pick companies for quality work and extraordinary customer service on an annual basis, and we verify all state-required licenses and insurance, too. Our stringent qualification process means that the companies we recommend are truly the cream of the crop, and we’re pleased to present that information in a simple, easy-to-use format.

Work with a Maryland Best Pick for an outstanding home service experience. We guarantee you’ll be pleased!