The last thing anyone wants to discover in the dead of winter is an issue with their home’s heating system, especially when it could have been taken care of earlier in the season. Most homeowners know proper maintenance is vital to prolonging the lifespan of any machine. Our home HVAC systems are no different.
If you are not aware of precisely how to maintain your home’s heating system for winter, don’t fret: We’ve gathered a list of six essential tips from our experts at Lewis Center-Powell Heating & Air.
1. Renew Your Air Filter Regularly
Regularly changing your air filter is a must-do.
Dirty and clogged up air filters force furnaces to labor much harder than they ought to. By changing your air filter routinely, it extends your furnace’s lifespan and reduces your energy bills while at the same time improving the quality of air within your home.
To keep a clean air filter, you should be checking yours monthly all winter long because it is going to need to be changed at least every three months, if not sooner.
2. Have Your Air Vents and Ducts Cleaned
When you vacuum your home, be sure to go over your air vents to help clear out dirt and debris, which will reduce blockages and reduce indoor air quality issues.
If your home’s vacuum isn’t doing the trick, give us a call. Employing a professional to perform this task will go a long way in improving air quality while keeping a home free of airborne particles. It improves energy efficiency because that hard to reach debris and dust decreases the flow of air to and from the components of your HVAC system. Remember, your furnace needs to breathe.
3. Add On Some Insulation Upstairs
Although insulation may not sound like a critical component of your home heating system’s operation, it does, actually, perform a major function.
It performs this function in your furnace’s overall performance by keeping the warm it creates inside your home.
That being said, have a look at the insulation levels in your home’s attic. Make sure you have a sufficient amount. If you don’t feel like you have sufficient insulation, or if you aren’t certain, give us a call to have one of our expert HVAC technicians go to your home. We’d love to hear from you!
4. Setting Your Thermostat Right
Do you remember the last time you changed the batteries in your thermostat? And, is your thermostat set according to your winter comfort demands? Have a look! And replace those batteries!
Also, during the winter, we suggest placing your thermostat at a somewhat lower temperature throughout the night, and when you’re away at the job or on vacation. Then, when you return home, turn it back up. If you want to avoid having to do all that, winter is a great time of year to consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat in case you haven’t done so already. A programmable thermostat maintains your preferred comfort levels automatically around the clock, all winter long, and that will save you money.
5. Wrap Up Your Outside AC Unit
Once the weather starts to cool, and you are confident you won’t need it for the rest of the season, wrap up your exterior AC unit. This is imperative to guard your unit against the winter elements while blocking the cold air out. You should be able to get a high quality, reasonably-priced exterior AC unit cover at any one of your local hardware stores. It will go a long way in preserving your AC from all the ice, snow, and debris of a long Delaware County winter.
6. Regular Servicing
If you retain one item from our “Winter HVAC Maintenance Guide,” we hope it is this final and most vital suggestion: Don’t skimp on any routine maintenance to your home’s heating system! Doing so will cost you more in the long run.
Every year, you need to be scheduling a routine inspection/tune-up. If you haven’t had a technician come out to your home and conduct this vital bit of maintenance yet this season, today is the day to do so. Give us a call today!
During a heating system tune-up, we will visit your home and examine your home’s expensive heating system for a variety of reasons. Among a full list of things, we search for signs of wear and tear that needs consideration. Inspections also incorporate cleaning, repairing, lubricating, and other optimizing services, so the furnace will perform at its peak for a long time to come. After all, nobody wants to deal with a furnace breakdown in the dead cold of an Ohio winter.
If you haven’t had an inspection yet, please give Lewis Center-Powell Heating & Air a call today at 614-490-7530, or schedule an appointment online now at www.lewiscenterpowellheatingandair.com/schedule-now/ .
We’d love to hear from you!
