As one of the most expensive and energy-hungry aspects of your home, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system requires careful installation, maintenance and control to operate at peak efficiency. Common HVAC mistakes that cause inefficiencies can happen during installation, maintenance and through incorrect operation. Make sure these mistakes don’t cripple your system, costing you money and shortening your system’s life span.

HVAC Mistake: Improperly Sized Air Conditioner

An air conditioner too large or too small for your home represents one of the most important HVAC mistakes to avoid, according to Eric Weiss, technical trainer for Trane Residential. An air conditioning unit too small for the home may never fully catch up to demand. It runs longer and works harder, using more energy and shortening its life span, says Weiss.

When oversized, the unit cycles on and off in short bursts, never really controlling humidity or cycling the air in the home. The constant on/off cycling also stresses the HVAC system and ages it prematurely.

HVAC Mistake: Overly Restrictive Air Filter

Third-party air-filter manufacturers can tempt you into one of the more common HVAC mistakes: Using aggressive air filters. These products take particles out of the air down to as small as 0.3 microns — small enough to trap viruses!

Air filters exist to protect your blower from dirt and debris that can damage the system. Weiss recommends that if you want your HVAC system to pull double-duty as a whole-house air-filtration system, make sure the installer knows that before completing the estimate.

Those expensive, overly-restrictive filters impede air flow, robbing your system of its efficiency and shortening its life — results that cost you plenty in the long run. An installer can compensate for that restrictive filter by enlarging the duct work, which keeps air flowing at the proper rate.