Wouldn’t it be nice if everything we bought was always perfect and never needed to be checked for problems? While products keep improving, they are also getting more complex. Of all new cars sold every year, an estimated 150,000 (or 1%) are lemons. Unfortunately, homes can have similar statistics as things go wrong among the many devices in them, like A/C units, heating units, plumbing, etc. Checking the operating health of essential aspects of your home should be a regular activity. Here are a couple of things that Rochester homeowners should check regularly.
The Air Conditioning
In Rochester, weather impacts everything. Cars rust out due to salt on the road during our long winters. Our humid summers cause A/C units to work harder because the humidity in the home keeps it feeling far warmer, prompting more A/C use. With 84 percent of US homes having A/C, losing it in the heat of summer can create a crisis in the home. Checking the A/C unit is a must.
In the US, we use more air conditioning than all other nations combined. Air conditioning is a considerable cost and necessary during Rochester summers. A routine checkup saves money before anything else. Repairing a small refrigerant leak now can save thousands later if low refrigerant levels cause the compressor to burn out. Having the A/C unit checked and maintained can also mean lower electrical bills due to a more efficient unit.
Radon Gas
Radon gas is a hazard most homeowners forget even exists. Radon gas accounts for about 20,000 cases of lung cancer in the US every year. Because radon gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, it’s something that rarely gets checked despite being deadly. Every home has the potential to collect radon gas as an indoor pollutant because it is emitted from the soil and rocks beneath us. The EPA reported that 1 in 15 homes in the United States has an elevated concentration of radon.
Checking for radon gas isn’t difficult. A simple radon test kit is utilized and then sent to a lab for the results. A test kit can be purchased at all major home improvement retailers or online. The EPA recommends testing your home once a year for safety. Setting that yearly reminder is crucial for something so often forgotten by homeowners.
The Heating Unit
Just like the harsh Rochester winters can impact our cars, they can also push heating units to the limit. No one wants to have the furnace go out in the middle of one of our winters. Proper maintenance can make for lower monthly bills while extending the unit’s lifespan. Simply replacing the furnace filter regularly can ensure cleaner air and reduce the furnace’s workload substantially.
A professional check-up will be more comprehensive, checking for leaks in the heat exchanger and potentially cleaning the heat pump. Like a yearly A/C check, a small amount spent now on maintaining the furnace can prevent a very large bill later when the result is a full unit replacement. Having it checked on a scheduled appointment before the winter comes is also far less expensive than an emergency visit when things go wrong during one of our famous Rochester snowstorms.
Checking the air conditioner and furnace, as well as testing for radon, are just three-yearly checkups that Rochester homeowners should perform. Other systems such as plumbing or gas lines should also be checked regularly. As a home gets older, checkups become even more critical. In Rochester, seasons can be tough on everything from our cars to our homes and preventative maintenance is essential.
