As cooler weather starts to break through and summertime comes to an end, it’s time to do some fall HVAC maintenance. This process will include closing up your air conditioning components and prepping your heating system components for their wintertime run. It’s imperative that you perform all the tasks that we’ll go over below to ensure that your HVAC system remains in tip-top condition.
Close Your AC Unit
One of the very first things you’ll want to do is go ahead and close up your outdoor condenser unit. At the bare minimum, you should have something to protect the top of your unit. You want to prevent any debris from entering the unit. One of the best things you can do is invest in a cover for your unit. This cover will typically have a solid top on it and mesh material for the sides. This mesh helps to ensure that your unit is still able to breathe so that it doesn’t rust over the colder winter months.
Switch Over to Heating Mode
When you’re done using your air conditioning system for the year, you should change the settings on your thermostat. You want to switch from cool mode to heat mode. You should take a few moments and program in your thermostat. This can allow you to set more energy-efficient operations for the winter. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, you should highly consider investing in one. Even upgrading to a smart thermostat can allow you to better monitor your energy usage and control your settings from your smartphone.
Schedule Professional Maintenance Service
One maintenance step that you never want to overlook is scheduling professional service for your heating system. It’s typically best to schedule this service early in the fall so that you can address any potential problems with your system before you need to be using it. Maintenance service is typically a necessity to keep the warranty coverage on your system active and goes a long way toward extending the overall lifespan of your system.
Change Air Filters
The air filter inside your HVAC system is going to have a big impact on its overall operations. For this reason, you’ll want to make it a habit to change it when you’re preparing your heating system for the fall. It’s a good idea to have spare filters on hand so that you can replace dirty ones when necessary.
Seal Air Leaks
It’s not uncommon for your home to develop air leaks over the years. These are going to happen on the exterior walls of your home. You’ll typically find them around doors and windows, and in some cases they may show up at your light switches and receptacles. You’ll want to take a few moments and feel around these areas to see if you notice a difference in temperature. If so, you’ll want to use weather stripping, caulking, or foam inserts to seal off the leaks.
Check Air Vents
If you have a forced-air heating system, then you’re going to have various vents throughout your home. In order for your system to work optimally, all of these vents need to be fully open. You should make it a point to walk around each room of your home and verify that each vent is fully open. Make sure there are no obstructions that could block adequate airflow for the vent.
Switch Ceiling Fan Directions
Ceiling fans are a great way to help reduce your energy bills throughout the entire year. When it becomes time to switch from summertime cooling to wintertime heating, you want to ensure that you switch the direction of your ceiling fans. They should be going in a clockwise direction during the wintertime. This airflow direction will allow the ceiling fans to force heat at the top of your rooms outward and down your walls. Fans spinning in this direction will allow you to essentially recirculate heat throughout your home without having to create more of it.
Clear Space Around the Furnace
It’s not uncommon during the summertime to use the area around your furnace as a catch-all storage. This isn’t a big deal in the summer as you won’t be running your furnace. However, you want to ensure that you clean up the space around your furnace before you turn on your system. You never want to have any sort of combustibles located near your furnace, as this could be a big fire hazard for your home.
Check Detectors and Fire Extinguisher
If you have a heating system other than a heat pump, you’ll need to have both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. There should be one on every level of your home and outside every bedroom. As part of your maintenance checklist, you want to push the test button on every detector you have. Make sure that each one has fresh batteries. Additionally, you want to ensure that your fire extinguisher located near your heating system isn’t expired.
Test Run Your Heating System
It’s always a necessity to test-run your heating system before you need to be relying on it during the winter. Make sure that you set the temperature to at least five degrees warmer than your thermostat is reading. Once your system kicks on, you’ll want to walk around to each vent to ensure that adequate airflow is coming out of it.
Pay close attention to any weird noises or odd smells that are coming from your system. While it’s completely normal for your system to emit a burning smell when it first starts up, as it burns off excessive dust, this scent should dissipate after a couple of minutes.
Order Fuel
If you have a storage tank at your home to house fuel for your heating system, it’s time to get it refilled. You should consider setting up automatic fuel delivery service to ensure that you never run out of fuel during the cold winter months. Many times, you can even get a discount on fuel prices when you sign up for this service.
Consider Ductwork Services
Your ductwork plays a huge role in the overall functionality of your heating system. Over time, it can develop leaks and unwanted accumulations of dust and debris. Experts suggest having your ductwork undergo cleaning and sealing service every three to five years. If your ducting hasn’t undergone these services in a while, now is the perfect time to consider getting them scheduled.
Schedule Chimney Cleaning
If you have a chimney, in the fall you should schedule a professional chimney cleaning service. This cleaning service will get rid of any debris that’s stuck inside your chimney, that otherwise would cause a restriction of airflow or even a potential fire hazard. When having your chimney swept, it should also undergo a visual inspection.
Quality HVAC Maintenance Service
Ahoy! Cooling & Heating offers quality HVAC maintenance service to the entire Tampa Bay, FL area. We can also help with all your ductless, thermostat installation, commercial, indoor air quality, air conditioning maintenance, zone system, and heating needs. Contact us today to get on the schedule.
