Before cool weather hits, make sure that your home is safe and ready to deal with the chilly temperature. The changing season will provide you with a great chance to take on some projects and save on your home’s maintenance and HVAC costs. So how can you ensure that your home is ready to handle the frigid weather without excessive energy costs and possibly some very costly repairs? Here are 7 home maintenance tips that you can follow to have an effective HVAC system that will provide throughout the winter.
1. Schedule a furnace inspection. A furnace is an important part of your home because it provides comfort, especially during the winter. It is a device that provides heated air to homes and other residential spaces.
A furnace has basic parts: blower motor, burner, hot surface ignition, heat exchanger, flue, return ducts, and air filter. A furnace works based on the principle of forced air heating.
As the temperature drops below the thermostat setting, cold air from your home is pulled into the system. This will pass through the air filter, removing allergens such as dust and pollen. The air is blown through the air handler producing warm air and it will then spread through the ducts via the blower motor. There are 2 types of furnaces that you can choose from an electric furnace and a gas furnace.
Having a furnace on your property is a good investment for your home’s comfort. If you already have one installed, it’s important that you schedule a furnace inspection which can be done by an HVAC professional. Just because your furnace ran perfectly fine last year doesn’t mean that you can skip your furnace maintenance. A professional inspection includes checking of the things on your furnace like the motor and fan, air filters, blower, and most especially the presence of carbon monoxide leak. Moreover, an HVAC professional will also include an inspection of your gas piping and this is important to let you know if you need to upgrade or replace your furnace for maximum efficiency.
2. Control and program your thermostat properly. Don’t be like other homeowners that take their thermostats for granted. Choose a thermostat that you can program based on your preference. You can even choose a thermostat that can be operated by using your cell phone. There are a lot of features present in smart and programmable thermostats that you can use. All you have to do is either install it by yourself or you may want to hire a professional to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
3. Replace your filters. Filters need to be changed especially now that you’ll be transitioning to wintertime. If you see the presence of dirt in the filters, clean or replace it right away because a dirty filter is the number one cause of a malfunctioning HVAC system.
4. Clean your gutters and downspouts. It is common that your gutters will be filled with dry leaves and other debris throughout the fall months. That’s why clogs are the main reason why gutters don’t function well. To avoid this from happening, clean your gutters regularly to drain excessive water effectively.
Downspouts are as important as your gutters so it should be cleared of debris as well to effectively drain water off your roof, avoiding any inconveniences that may occur to your home.
5. Run a soundcheck. This can be done by turning your unit on. If you hear any unusual noises coming from your HVAC system, this may indicate a possible heat pump repair to check for specific components and stop the noise.
6. Check for any possible signs of moisture. If you see moisture on windows, or accumulated dirt on the vent pipe, this may suggest that your HVAC is not operating properly. It may result in a sudden increase in your heating bills, thus, make sure to seal your windows and doors by filling any gaps before the cold weather really starts to take hold.
7. Make sure you have regular maintenance at least once a year. An HVAC technician can do this job for you by cleaning your entire HVAC system resulting to clean indoor air. Other inconsistent conditions can also be checked such as unpredictable heat supply around the house. If you’re experiencing similar problems like this, maybe it’s time for you to have a heating repair.
Need Help With Your Furnace?
If you need any help with installing or repairing your furnace contact our HVAC team at Heatwave Air Conditioning and Heating. We provide expert HVAC maintenance in Tucson!