The Texas summer isn't kind to your air-conditioning system. And no one is thinking about their furnace when temperatures soar over the 100-degree mark. Are you going to be OK over the next few months or is a system failure in your future?

You can answer this question by scheduling a HVAC inspection and fixing problems before the system gives out.

“Too many people call us in a panic,” said Tracy Rodden of Dallas-based Hooper Plumbing & Air Conditioning. “They’ve waited until their system failed and now they are miserably hot or freezing cold and the repair is going to be expensive. Smart homeowners will schedule regular maintenance to keep their systems going year-round without a hitch.”

An HVAC inspection will tell you whether you need to replace or repair your heating and cooling systems as the warm days slowly transition to cooler ones. And if your system does need service, you can schedule repair work quickly so that you won't be surprised by a sputtering furnace on that first chilly evening of the winter season.

Scheduling an HVAC inspection can also keep your family safe. A malfunctioning furnace can emit carbon monoxide, putting you and your family at risk. A furnace that's not operating properly might result, too, in a potentially deadly electrical fire.

During an inspection, an HVAC professional will tighten electrical connections and make sure that your furnace is properly vented. This will reduce the chance of either an electrical fire or a dangerous gas leak.

HVAC technicians will also check to make sure that your heating and cooling systems are properly moving the air around your home. This, too, is an important safety matter. Better air flow can reduce the build-up of mold, bacteria and dirt in your home and in your heating and cooling vents. This is especially important for family members who may suffer from asthma or allergies. A build-up of mold, dust and dirt is hardly healthy for such family members.

Then there's energy efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program lists a yearly HVAC tune-up and inspection as a must-do for homeowners hoping to cut down on the size of their heating and cooling bills.

Like many Texas residents, you probably noticed your utility bills rising this summer. Malfunctioning heating and cooling systems often have to work harder to cool or heat your home's rooms. And when HVAC systems are working harder, they're consuming more energy, leaving you with higher utility bills.

The same can happen with older furnaces and air-conditioning systems. Today's high-efficiency HVAC systems are designed to heat and cool rooms while consuming as little energy as possible. The same can't always be said of older systems. An HVAC technician inspecting your system might recommend that you upgrade to a newer, more efficient heating and cooling system.

Yes, you'll have to pay for that new system. But your heating and cooling contractor should be able to give you an estimate for how dramatically your yearly utility bills will fall thanks to a more efficient HVAC system. You can then calculate how quickly you'll be able to cover the cost of your new HVAC equipment. You might be surprised at how short the payback period can be.

What happens during the yearly HVAC check-up? According to ENERGY STAR, an HVAC technician should tighten all electronic connections, lubricate all the moving parts of your system, make sure that your system's condensate drain is not plugged and determine if operating controls are working properly.

Your HVAC technician won’t focus solely on your furnace during the yearly inspection. To make sure that your air-conditioning system will be ready for the following summer, your technician will clean your cooling unit's evaporator and condenser air-conditioning coils, check your central air-conditioner's refrigerant level and clean and adjust your system's blower components.

You can take steps on your own, too, to make sure that your HVAC system is working properly. This includes inspecting, cleaning and changing the air filters in your central air-conditioner, furnace and heat pump. ENERGY STAR recommends that you do this once every month.

For more information about your heating and cooling systems or to schedule an HVAC inspection call Hooper today!

Hooper Plumbing & Air Conditioning
6725 Hillcrest Ave., Suite A
Dallas, TX 75205

214-306-8020

http://www.hooperplumbing.com/