As the weather starts to become cooler outside in Flower Mound, TX, now is the perfect time to prepare your home for the winter season ahead. One of the most important areas to prepare is your HVAC system, which your family relies on to stay warm and comfortable. We’re going to go over the most common tasks you’ll need to perform to properly prepare your HVAC system for winter.
Schedule Professional Maintenance Service
Schedule maintenance service with a licensed HVAC professional during the fall months. You want to get this done before winter arrives so that you have adequate time to fix any issues with your system. Professional maintenance includes things like lubricating moving parts and inspecting internal components. This goes a long way in helping to reduce your risk of experiencing a breakdown and is often necessary to keep the warranty on your system active.
Program Your Thermostat
As you switch from air conditioning to heat, you’ll want to alter your thermostat schedule and settings. Ensure you switch it over to heat mode. You should program settings that help optimize your energy usage. For example, it can be useful to set the temperature lower during the hours when you’re not home to restrict how often your system runs. A smart thermostat could be a great investment to help monitor your energy consumption and give you the ability to alter your thermostat settings from your smartphone remotely.
Change Your Air Filter
During your routine fall HVAC maintenance, it’s a good idea to change the air filter that is part of your heating system. As your family spends more time indoors during the winter, you may want to get a higher MERV-rated air filter. This will help trap more airborne particles and reduce symptoms associated with allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. Make sure that you have extra filters available so you can change them out throughout the winter as soon as you notice your filter is dirty. We can recommend the type of filter that you should be using for your furnace if you’re unsure what the best option is.
Test Run Your System
It’s an absolute necessity to test run your HVAC system before you need to rely on it daily. Wait for your heating system to kick on and take note of any odd noises or weird smells. You may get a whiff of a burning odor when you first turn your system on. This is dust inside your unit burning off and will go away quickly. If the smell persists, schedule an appointment with our team.
Now is the ideal time to walk around to all your air vents and ensure that they’re working. Make sure that you’re getting hot air and that there are no obstructions blocking the airflow at the vent. Each vent should have around three feet of space surrounding it to allow for adequate airflow.
Check for Air Leaks
It’s normal for air leaks to develop around doors and windows as your home ages. It’s necessary to make sure that you’re sealing up these air leaks to prevent cold winter air from seeping in. You can use weather stripping, caulking, or another similar material to eliminate the air leak. You also want to check around receptacles and switches on your exterior walls, as they’re prone to developing leaks as well.
Order Fuel
If you have a fuel tank at your home, you’ll want to get it filled up prior to winter. It’s never a good idea to wait until you need to be using your system every day to order fuel for it. It’s highly advisable to sign up for a regular delivery service that will ensure you always have fuel for your heating system.
Change Ceiling Fan Settings
Ceiling fans are by far one of the most effective ways to help supplement your HVAC system to produce optimal comfort. This is also a very energy-efficient option for maximizing comfort. You’ll want to make sure that you change the direction your ceiling fans are moving to a clockwise direction. It’s necessary for them to spin this way in the wintertime, as it will force hot air at the top of the room outward. This air will hit the walls and travel straight down to the floor. This hot air recirculation process can go a long way in lowering your utility bills throughout the winter.
Examine Detectors and Fire Extinguisher
When you rely on a heating system that burns fuel to create heat, there’s always going to be the production of toxic fumes. It’s an absolute necessity to have carbon monoxide detectors as well as smoke detectors throughout your home to alert you to any potential problems. They should be on every individual level of your home and either inside or just outside every bedroom.
You should hit the test button on each of your detectors to ensure that they are working and replace low batteries when necessary. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure your fire extinguisher is securely in place and that it hasn’t expired. You should be using a class C fire extinguisher for your HVAC system.
Close Your Outdoor AC Unit
As part of your full HVAC maintenance checklist, you’ll want to winterize your outdoor AC unit. It’s a good idea to trim back any shrubbery or low-hanging branches. Remove any debris that is stuck against the unit. You can use an AC condenser cover to protect your unit from the wintertime weather if it’s recommended by the manufacturer or your unit.
You want to prevent debris from dropping down into your unit during the winter. Make sure that you do not close the unit completely. It requires some airflow through it to allow moisture from inside the unit to escape. Otherwise, it will corrode inside and can grow mold.
Get Your Chimney Cleaned
If your HVAC system burns fuel, then you likely have a chimney that’s responsible for venting toxic fumes outdoors. It’s a good rule of thumb to have your chimney cleaned by a professional every fall. Throughout the cleaning process, a professional will not only remove soot from the interior walls of your chimney, but they’ll inspect it to ensure that it’s still in good working condition.
Have Your Ductwork Addressed
If your home relies on ductwork to deliver hot air, then it needs to be properly cared for to ensure its optimal functioning. Most HVAC experts recommend having your ductwork cleaned and sealed every three to five years. This will help remove any debris that is stuck inside your ducting, which reduces your indoor air quality. Additionally, by having your ductwork sealed, you can increase the efficiency of your HVAC system by eliminating unwanted gaps and leaks.
Expert Heating System Maintenance Service
Honest Home Services LLC provides expert heating system maintenance services to the entire Flower Mound community. We will be more than delighted to assist you with all your heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality, commercial, new construction, heat pump, ductless, and thermostat needs. Be sure to speak with our friendly staff today about scheduling your next maintenance service.
