Winters can be cold, with snow and ice lying everywhere outside. The chilly weather forces most people to prefer staying indoors and rely on the HVAC to warm the space. As such, it’s important to prepare your HVAC system for winter, since it’ll be used almost continually to keep the home cool and comfortable. You should also clean the indoor and outdoor systems and inspect the furnace. Also, ensure your thermostat is in good condition because it instructs the system to turn on and off.
If you don’t have an HVAC unit or need a replacement, you can get one before winter. Working with a professional during a heat pump buying and installation makes things easier. Thankfully, River Valley HVAC experts can help you choose and install a suitable heater in your home to prepare for winter. But how do you prepare your home for winter?
How To Prepare the HVAC System for Winter
HVAC systems are essential in winter, as they are in summer. When the room temperatures are too low, your machine will turn on to heat the room to your desired temperatures. This keeps your family comfortable and happy.
To ensure your HVAC works correctly during winter, you must prepare it for the season. Some things to do a few months before frost kicks in are;
Clean the indoor unit
The indoor unit of your HVAC unit is exposed to dust, dirt, and debris, which can affect its functioning. The indoor unit draws air into the evaporator coils and cleans it in the air ducts. The dust, debris, and pet fur remain inside the system until you clean it. Since you will continue running the machine during winter for longer hours, you should clean the dirt to ensure it does not return to the room.
DIY cleaning of the HVAC indoor unit can be risky because you need to open up some system parts. You will also require a detergent to remove the mold growth and leave the unit sparkling. Hiring a professional HVAC cleaner ensures your unit is well-cleaned and in safe hands. They know how to handle delicate parts and open and close hard-to-reach areas.
Clean the outdoor unit
While the indoor unit gets dirt from the dirty indoor air, dust, leaves, and debris can cover your outdoor unit. When the dirt gets into the machine, it reduces lubrication which can cause wear and tear on the system’s mechanical parts.
Cleaning the outdoor unit ensures your machine will run perfectly during winter. Therefore, you won’t experience slow-downs and breakdowns when the device should be warming your room.
Before cleaning the unit, ensure you first turn it off. Next, wipe the dust and remove the leaves on the unit. Finally, leave the inner parts of the outdoor units to the professional to clean them. These require unscrewing, cleaning, and returning, which can be tricky if you don’t have the experience.
Do a furnace inspection
If your unit has an AC and furnace, you can turn them off during winter because you won’t require cooling the rooms. Then, do a basic furnace check-up to ensure it is in good condition and ready for winter.
You should check if there is rust or any signs of water leakage on the parts of the unit. If the base is wet, it could signify leaks. The broken parts causing the leaks need a repair or replacement before winter.
Since the furnace will run longer during winter, ensure the area around it is clean and safe. There should not be flammable materials that can pose a fire hazard or leaves and clutter that can blow into the machine to stop its operations.
Also, ensure the filters work correctly. When you hire a professional to inspect, they will check the condition of the furnace filters and advice whether to replace or repair them. Do not open up your furnace if you are not a professional. The unit’s parts are delicate, and breaking them means expensive replacements.
Check the thermostat
Your thermostat reads the indoor temperatures and turns the HVAC ON or OFF. If the room is at the temperatures set on your thermometer, the HVAC turns off to conserve energy. When the temperatures drop, the thermostat turns the system on to warm the room.
It would be best if you had a well-functioning thermostat to read the correct temperatures and direct the functions of the HVAC. If it is faulty, your rooms will remain cold during the season. You can replace the device before the temperatures start dropping.
Schedule an overall maintenance
You can prepare your HVAC for winter by scheduling maintenance before winter starts. Then, when you hire a professional, they will check the mechanical parts of the unit to ensure they work correctly. Maintenance on your unit helps the technician see any failing or loose parts and fix them before they cause more significant problems.
Running your HVAC with loose wires and breaking parts can affect other parts, causing expensive-to-repair problems. The professionals also check the refrigerant levels to ensure the system runs efficiently. An efficient HVAC uses less energy, lowering your energy bills.
Benefits Of Preparing Your HVAC For Winter
Cleaning the outdoor and indoor units of your HVAC, checking the furnace, setting up the thermostat, and doing overall maintenance ensures the proper functioning of your system. When your HVAC is in good working condition, it consumes little energy. A properly working machine will also last longer because the parts have minimal wear and tear. That’s essential in winter and other seasons because HVAC parts are costly to buy and repair.
A well-maintained system also increases the quality of the indoor air. Accumulated dirt and debris in the indoor unit could blow back into the rooms, causing allergic reactions. Cleaning the unit keeps your family safe from allergies.
Takeaway
Preparing your HVAC for winter helps the machine function well, prevents breakdowns, and enhances energy efficiency. You should clean the indoor and outdoor units, check your furnace condition and set the thermostat. If you are not an expert, HVAC units are delicate for DIY cleaning, so you need to hire a professional to do the maintenance.
