Autumn Air—HVAC Care
October 1, 2024
As the leaves change and the temperature drops, it’s time to prepare your HVAC unit for the cooler months ahead. Proper HVAC maintenance helps keep your home warm, safe, and energy-efficient throughout the season and extends the unit’s longevity. Before seeking professional assistance, follow the tips below to help your HVAC system “fall” into efficiency:
- Create a routine to change your air filters. As your family spends more time indoors, dust and particles can quickly accumulate, clogging your air filters. A dirty filter makes your HVAC system work harder and wastes energy. To prevent the strain on your HVAC unit, replace filters every one to three months.
- Clean around heat pumps. Falling leaves make heat pumps susceptible to a build-up of leaves and unwanted vegetation in and around the unit, which could interfere with the airflow and proper operation of the heat pump. Cleaning out leaves and removing unwanted vegetation will help the heat pump run efficiently.
- Seek professional HVAC service. Having a professional inspect your unit can be well worth the cost, ensuring everything functions correctly and provides heat when needed. Keeping your system serviced can extend its service life and help it run more efficiently.
- Set the right temperature with thermostats. Ensure the settings are correct for the season and the fan is on auto. Programming your thermostat at a low, comfortable set point in the winter will assist in maintaining a cost and energy-efficient home. For a heat pump, if the desired temperature set point is increased, adjust your heat setting by 1° at a time. Increasing the set point by two or more degrees will cause the auxiliary heat to activate and will result in increased energy consumption.
- Seal air leaks. Locating and sealing air leaks is key to having an energy-efficient home. Most of these leaks can be found around doors and windows. If a leak is noticed, this can be easily remedied with weather stripping or an appropriate caulk (interior or exterior).
- Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans. Switch the fan’s blades clockwise after you turn on the heat. This is especially helpful with rooms that have high ceilings. Changing the blades’ direction will redistribute the room’s warmest air, allowing you to lower the thermostat without sacrificing comfort
Following these fall maintenance tips can help ensure your home and HVAC system operate efficiently. For additional advice, contact one of our energy specialists at 704-289-3145 and call your local HVAC technician to schedule seasonal service.