The importance and benefits of preventative maintenance

Here at Guin Service, we don’t just pay lip service about offering the full suite of plumbing and HVAC solutions. We offer them because we’re capable of resolving any and all problems within your plumbing and HVAC systems. Today, we’re going to talk about preventative maintenance. 

Residential plumbing and HVAC systems can go awry from the smallest cracks and misalignments. These details are often overlooked by homeowners and result from a lack of preventative maintenance. That is, many of us are well aware of the need to repair and retool our plumbing and HVAC systems when a problem arises. But just as important is preventive maintenance, which helps your plumbing and HVAC systems keep running smoothly without a hitch. 

Of course, there are differences between preventive maintenance for your HVAC and plumbing systems. Let’s take a look at the preventive maintenance checklist for each system, respectively.

Preventive Maintenance for your HVAC system

At Guin, we value your time, your home, and we want you to be comfortable. That’s why we want to emphasize the following ways you can prevent significant problems with your HVAC. 

Keeping the air clean

As mentioned above, the first thing you want to do when performing preventive maintenance for your HVAC system is to ensure that the airflow is free of unsavory particles. These three important tasks prevent dusty buildup:

• Examine and clean the ducts and vents
• Check all fans and blowers
• Clean out the flue system (should you use the fireplace)
• Replace all filters regularly

Technical maintenance: preventing glitches in the mechanical framework of your HVAC system

Moving past airflow, we start to get into some of the more technical aspects of HVAC preventative maintenance. These areas involve working with parts that make the systems go. Some of the most important preventative tasks include: 

• Inspecting the heat exchanger
• Check the fan motor and humidity levels
• Analyze the refrigerant charge and any ensuing leaks
• Checking for gas leaks
• Gauging the gas pressure
• Inspecting all pulleys, belts, drain lines, and pans
• Testing the electrical connections and thermostats

Some of these tasks are simpler than others. We here at Guin suggest that you do as much as you can, and be sure to give us a call for any difficult tasks that might even pose safety risks. Remember, it’s best to leave it to a professional so that the job is done right and without harm to you or your home. 

Preventive maintenance for your plumbing system

Now we come to the plumbing system. The last thing you want during the winter months is a frozen pipe or overflowing toilet!

Let’s take a look at some of the top methods you can use to prevent any bursts and spills:

• Preventing leaks from faucets and showerheads: The best way to check for leaks is to turn handles to the off position and see whether the faucets or showerheads leak. Also, check beneath your sinks, within the cabinets below, for any leakage stains.
• Cleaning drains and pipes before they get clogged: Are you having trouble with any slow faucets or filters? Is water slow to drain from the shower? You’ll be able to tell by decreased shower pressure or slower fill-ups from the tap or filter or by pools of water forming at your feet when you shower.
  
  For drainage issues, there are some home remedies, but we don’t recommend using anything unproven. As for faucet, shower, and filter pipes, things can get a little trickier, as clogging issues can come from a number of problems that can be difficult to prevent before they rear their ugly heads. The best thing to do is simply remove the shower heads and faucet ends to clean out sediment and dirt. In many cases, it’s best to give us a call and schedule an appointment with Guin.

• Don’t throw garbage into your plumbing system: This one’s as easy as it gets. Do not, in any case, ever throw your garbage into the toilet or flush fluids down the drain. This is the fastest way to a clog that you won’t be able to remove on your own!

• Gauge the water pressure: This requires using a pressure gauge, so be sure to schedule an appointment with Guin if you don’t have one. For preventative maintenance, you can also purchase a pressure regulator, which helps maintain the water pressure at normal levels.

• Hose inspection: For all the gardeners out there, be sure to check your hoses for cracks and leaks. Furthermore, feel them out to see if they’re growing brittle or coarse, as this might be a sign of imminent cracking. 

Though far from comprehensive, the above techniques represent some of the best preventative maintenance measures for your plumbing and HVAC systems. 

Again, we here at Guin want to stress that, if you feel unsure about performing a preventative maintenance task, schedule an appointment with us. In the end, it’s far better to be safe than sorry. Better yet, check out our GuinGuard program, which provides regularly scheduled maintenance checks and repairs. GuinGuard is the best way to ensure the integrity of your plumbing and save money!

Guin Service: Quality HVAC and Plumbing Services in the Birmingham area

Contact Guin Service, LLC, serving Birmingham, Hoover, and Mountain Brook, AL, to prepare your home for the winter season. We’ve been in business for 60 years because we do what’s right for our customers. You can always trust us to be honest and have your best interest in mind. Just give us a call today at 205.407.1737.