The cheapest thing you can do to make your system last longer
People ask me how to make their furnace or AC last. The honest answer is not expensive. It is two simple habits most folks skip.
The cheapest thing you can do to make your heating and cooling system last longer is change the filter on schedule and keep the outdoor unit clean and clear of debris. These are also the maintenance tasks people skip most often, and skipping them is what costs the most over time. A clean filter protects airflow, and a clean, level outdoor unit keeps your air conditioner from overheating through a Pittsburgh summer.
The short, honest answer
People ask me all the time what the cheapest way is to make their system last longer. I am not going to dress it up. It is changing your filter, and keeping your outdoor unit clean. That is it. Those same two things are also the tasks people skip the most, and skipping them is what ends up costing the most.
Why the filter matters more than people think
The filter is the cheapest part of your whole system, and it does a huge amount of work. When it is dirty, clogged, the wrong size, or the wrong type, it chokes off airflow to the equipment. Low airflow is hard on a furnace and hard on an air conditioner, and it is one of the most common problems we walk into in Pittsburgh basements.
- Use the right size and type. A filter that does not fit lets air slip around it, and the wrong type can restrict airflow more than you would expect.
- Change it on schedule. How often depends on the filter and your home, but the mistake is letting it go for months without a look.
- Do not starve the system. Our whole philosophy on a Wahl install is to lower velocity and keep airflow healthy, and a clean filter is the homeowner’s part of that bargain.
Keep the outdoor unit clean and clear
The other half is your outdoor air conditioning unit, the condenser. In my mind, a properly installed and maintained air conditioner should be able to run through an entire Pittsburgh summer full of 90 degree days. The cold refrigerant and the fans are designed to keep the compressor from overheating, so it should be able to run almost indefinitely. The thing that wrecks that is a dirty or blocked unit.
- Keep debris away from it. Grass clippings, leaves, cottonwood, and dryer lint all pack into the coil and block airflow.
- Keep the condenser coil clean. A clean coil sheds heat the way it is supposed to. A dirty one makes the compressor work harder and run hotter.
- Keep it level. Pittsburgh is hills and rolling ground. If the outdoor unit settles out of level, the bearings and components can wear out early.
What skipping it really costs
Here is where it adds up. We really start to see systems fail when we get three 90 degree days in a row. That kind of heat is hard on any equipment. A clean system can take it. A choked filter and a packed-up condenser turn a survivable stretch into a service call, or a dead compressor. The few minutes and few dollars you spend on a filter and a hose-down of the unit are some of the best money in the whole house.
The easy way to never think about it
If you would rather not track any of this, that is exactly what a maintenance plan is for. A tuneup catches the filter, cleans the coil, checks the refrigerant charge, and confirms the electrical is tight and the breaker is sized right, all the stuff that keeps the compressor cool and the system alive. Our club membership exists so you are not relying on memory, and you can learn more about keeping your air conditioning healthy on our cooling page.
The quick version
- Changing the filter is the single cheapest way to extend the life of your system.
- Keep the outdoor condenser unit clean, clear of debris, and level so the compressor does not overheat.
- These two tasks are also the ones homeowners skip most, and skipping them costs the most.
- A clean, well-maintained AC should run through a full Pittsburgh summer; failures spike after three 90 degree days in a row.
- A maintenance plan handles the filter, coil, refrigerant, and electrical so you never have to track it.
The cheapest thing you can do to make your system last is change the filter and keep the outdoor unit clean. That is the honest answer.
A properly installed and maintained air conditioner should run through an entire Pittsburgh summer. What kills it is a choked filter and a packed-up condenser, the two things people skip.
David WahlCEO & Master Plumber, Wahl Family
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Call 1-855-GET-WAHLFrequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to make my HVAC system last longer?
Change your air filter on schedule and keep your outdoor unit clean and clear of debris. These are inexpensive, take only a few minutes, and protect the two things that wear systems out early: airflow and a cool-running compressor. They are also the tasks homeowners skip the most.
How often should I change my furnace or AC filter?
It depends on the filter type and your home, but the key is to actually check it regularly rather than letting it go for many months. Always use the correct size and type, because a wrong-fitting or overly restrictive filter chokes airflow, which is hard on both the furnace and the air conditioner.
Why does a dirty outdoor unit hurt my air conditioner?
The outdoor condenser sheds the heat your system pulls out of the house. When grass, leaves, or lint pack into the coil, it cannot release that heat, so the compressor runs hotter and works harder. Keeping it clean, and keeping it level on Pittsburgh’s hilly ground, helps it last.
Can an air conditioner run all summer without breaking?
A properly installed and maintained one should. The refrigerant and fans are designed to keep the compressor cool through continuous running. We tend to see systems fail after three 90 degree days in a row, and almost always the ones that fail were dirty, low on charge, or never maintained.
Is a maintenance plan worth it for my heating and cooling system?
For most homeowners, yes. A tuneup handles the filter, cleans the coil, verifies the refrigerant charge, and checks that the electrical is tight and properly sized, the things that quietly fail and shorten equipment life. Our club membership takes the remembering off your plate.
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