Your home's heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) system works hard to keep your house the correct temperature year-round. Therefore, heating and cooling bills can be high. Check out these five ways to keep your HVAC running smoothly and reduce costs:

Plan Regular Maintenance

Get your HVAC system repaired and cleaned at least twice a year. Schedule repairs in the fall for the heating section and the spring for the cooling one. Regular cleaning and repair will help to remove debris build-up in addition to fixing any problems that may become worse if left unchecked. Ensure that you hire a professional to perform the repairs to avoid damaging your system even further.

Replace Filters

Filters clean the air that enters and circulates within your HVAC system. Filters help to keep out debris in the form of dust, insects, pollen, and other atmospheric pollutants. Depending on your home situation, you will need to change the filters anywhere between 20 days and 12 months. Homes with pets and children will need more frequent changes due to the amount of fur and dirt they carry around.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

As your HVAC ages, your thermostat is among the components that will be most affected. A faulty or broken thermostat cannot turn your system on and off. Further, it will be unable to regulate the temperatures in your home, which means that it may become too hot or too cold. Replace or upgrade your thermostat as soon as you start seeing signs of disrepair. For even greater performance, consider investing in a digital thermostat that can be programmed to perform certain tasks, such as turning the HVAC off before you go to bed.

Cover Doors and Windows

Ensure that you cover windows and doors with blackout curtains whenever you want to leave your HVAC system on. Direct sunlight warms the air in the room and forces your HVAC system to work harder to cool room temperatures. Also, cool weather temperatures may affect the workings of your system. Ensure doors and windows are closed and blinds drawn to keep heat from escaping.

Schedule an Inspection

Regular inspections will help keep your system running longer and more efficiently. A system inspection includes checking your system for proper temperature control, that it is free of leaks, that nothing is obstructing the proper operation of the system, and a number of other simple yet critical items. Also, make sure that you have your ducts inspected regularly to ensure that your HVAC system is in great working condition.

Your HVAC system is a key component of the house. You want to make sure that it is maintained regularly and the filters are replaced regularly to avoid problems. If you do experience any issues, contact an experienced professional to diagnose and treat the problem.