As temperatures around the world seem to keep on rising in the summer and some winters are getting even colder, so globally we are becoming more reliant than ever before on heating, cooling and ventilation. In the UK, traditionally heating used to be the most important issue as England is geographically a bit too far north to have mild winters. As anyone who sat sweltering in their house or stuffy office during the recent heat wave can tell you though, cooling and good ventilation in the summer are definitely becoming a rising priority. Air conditioning, which once was for the super-rich, who might need it a couple of days a year, is now becoming far more prevalent. As with all things mechanical, they run for a certain amount of time without problem, but normally decide to pack in and stop working at the most inconvenient times, much of which could be avoided with some planned preventative maintenance.
Heating Systems
Now some people will tell you that they would rather be too hot than too cold, and some the other way around, but it is highly unusual to find a house in the UK that doesn’t have a heating system of some kind. Our winters are too long and too cold for us to be able to do away with them, but they regularly stand idle for much of the year, so when the cold arrives, some of us find that it just isn’t working when we turn it on as autumn descends into winter. It is no surprise really, because if we left a car standing for 6 months, there is a fair chance that it wouldn’t start immediately either. It is very easy during the warm months to forget about the cold for a while, but this is really the best time to give it a little love and some preventative maintenance to ensure when the cold comes, our heating system is going to do its job.
Ventilation Systems
HVAC is an acronym for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, all systems we rely on and all which need to be properly serviced to keep functioning properly. Ventilation in a home is normally provided simply through the windows and doors, while in larger buildings it can become very complicated. To provide good indoor air quality, moisture, smoke, heat, smells and others need to be expelled, with fresh air brought in, to prevent the air from stagnating. A large shopping mall, or office will pay a lot of attention to its HVAC Maintenance as it cannot afford for its system to fail during business hours.
Air Conditioning
Air Conditioning, especially of the reverse cycle variety, which can pump out cold or heated air is becoming ever more popular across the country. If you are installing it, it is advisable to make sure your windows seal well, to help the system produce the controlled environment required. Air con is relatively easy to service much of yourself, simply by cleaning the filters, and only require a professional service if there is a problem with the compressor, or it needs more gas.
All of these systems work to make our life more comfortable, and all are more likely to keep functioning if we give them a little maintenance from time to time.
