When it comes to fall HVAC maintenance, there’s a lot to prepare for. There are, however, a few steps you can take to gear up before the leaves fall and the cold hits.
Whether it’s preventative maintenance or making important repairs, we’re here to give you a few tips and tricks.
Read on to learn all you need to fall HVAC maintenance.
Keep Your Air Filters Up to Date
Not only will keeping your air filters clean and clear ensure good air quality and flow in your home, but it also has the potential to lower your energy bill altogether.
They keep your HVAC unit functioning well, and they keep the dust and dander out of your home. When your air filter gets clogged, the unit has to push more air through to cool or heat your home and it ends up taking longer.
Having a clean filter at all times is going to prevent this from happening. Changing your filter every one to three months is the ideal time frame.
Listen for Unusual Noises
This one is easy enough to accomplish without any extra labor or money on your part. All you have to do is keep an ear open for strange noises, and maybe even call in a professional if you think a repair is needed.
Often, these noises are caused by blockages, debris in your vents, or even loose bolts or screws somewhere in the unit. It can be helpful to locate the source of the noise, but if you can’t then it’s best to call in a professional.
Clean Around Your Outdoor Unit
Once fall arrives, it’s important to inspect the outdoor piece of your unit for damage and debris. You might have to do some yard work before that can happen, though.
Start with blowing away any leaves, twigs, dirt, or rocks near your outdoor unit. Then, trim back any trees branches, or shrubs that have grown too close. If you suspect debris has gotten inside your unit, it’s best to call in a professional to inspect it.
Debris can wreak havoc inside your unit, so it’s important to have this taken care of as soon as possible.
Clean Your Vents and Ducts
Since your air ducts are responsible for circulating air throughout your house, it’s important that you ensure they can do their job correctly. That means regular cleaning and ensuring that nothing is blocking any vents in your home.
Like dirty air filters, and blockages are going to make it harder for your unit to circulate air throughout the home. This means the unit is going to be running longer, and it’s going to take longer to cool or heat the space.
To get your ducts ready for the cold months ahead, go around and make sure all the vents in your home are open and free to circulate air. Then — using the hose attachment on your vacuum — clean all the visible dust and pet fur from the vents.
If you find any stray dust, you can wipe it up with a wet cloth or duster.
Find and Seal Air Leaks
Another thing that’s important for regular system care is finding and sealing any air leaks in your system. These are a common cause of inefficiencies in your HVAC unit, but sealing is a great way to increase your home’s efficiency.
To test for air leaks in doors and window frames, simply hold a piece of paper up to the spot you’re suspecting the leak from. If the paper moves, that means you have a leak.
Replacing weatherstripping is a relatively ineffective way to ensure you don’t have to deal with leaks and issues. Also, caulking around window frames can help solve this issue.
If you do both these things and still notice that some rooms are colder or warmer than all the others, calling in a professional might be necessary.
Other Steps You Can Take
Among these steps, there are also many others you can take to ensure your home stays safe and comfortable throughout the winter.
Ensuring that combustible products are kept away from your heater is important to prevent accidents from happening.
Changing the water filter in your home’s humidifier is another step you can take. This will help your humidifier function at its best throughout the cold months, and also help to alleviate the dry air that comes with this weather.
Replacing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be done annually to ensure your safety and your family’s. If you have pets, you can also invest in stickers to place on the windows or near your entryways to let firefighters know there are animals inside in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Lastly, you should ensure that your thermostat is working properly. Replace the batteries if needed and always make sure it’s reading temperatures correctly. If something happens here, it could mean an uncomfortable winter for everyone in your home.
Taking these steps now rather than later is going to ensure you don’t have to deal with issues when the temperatures drop later.
Know When to Call in the Professionals for HVAC Maintenance
While you can take all the necessary steps to prepare your HVAC unit for fall, sometimes you might just need a helping hand. Calling in a professional to help with HVAC maintenance or repairs is always a smart move to make, and it’s something that can save you a lot of time and even money down the line.
Hiring a professional takes all the guesswork out of the process for you.
Contact us today to get started.