Fall HVAC Maintenance Tips to Follow & Why

The summer months are all about trying to beat the heat and leaning heavily on the air conditioner in your home to keep things comfortable. If you have a traditional, centralized HVAC system, this means your chilled air is running through the ducts and into every room in your home.

However, this same series of ducts and vents is going to continue to be used in autumn and winter as temperatures drop and you switch back to your furnace to stay warm and toasty. Once the seasons change, you should think about conducting fall HVAC maintenance.

Your Filter Needs Changing

For central HVAC systems, a filter change is part of tried-and-true HVAC maintenance. The filter in your furnace works continuously, as long as your air conditioner is on. It screens out harmful particulates that can affect your air quality. However, as a physical screen, it can fill up eventually. When that happens, it can actively block airflow, causing your HVAC system to work harder and longer than it needs to. And that means you pay higher bills.

The recommended interval to change filters is every 90 days or three months. In other words, when you see that the season is changing, it’s time to put in a new filter.

Clean Your Vents

The air vent or “register” that you find on the floor of every room is the exit point where warm or cool air is pumped, helping to adjust the room temperature to the desired level. These vents receive dirt, dust, and other particles from two directions. They get dirty because of dirt in the rooms themselves, such as fur from pets or lint from fabrics. But they also trap any dirt coming from the ventilation duct network.

So, if you haven’t taken a close look at these registers in some time, now is your opportunity. Proper heating and cooling is about unobstructed airflow. Take some time to clean out those registers.

Check for Leaks & Drafts

Over the course of the summer, there may have been accidents in and around the house. Or, the weather may have blown through with an intense storm that took off shingles and damaged windows. Time and weather may have weakened some parts of your home’s structure, such as sealant around pipes and window frames. Rodents and other animals may have damaged the exterior or interior of your home, such as insulation barriers.

When your house’s seals and insulation are compromised, your air treatment system isn’t as effective. For instance, in the winter, warm air will start to escape areas of your house, and cold air can also enter. Don’t ignore even the smallest hole or other structural weakness. Leaving them open and exposed also paves the way for rodents and other pests to get into your home. If you don’t want your home to be a refuge for pests in the winter or to raise your heating bills, plug those holes up.

Get an Energy Audit

If you want to see how many ways you can reduce your energy bills, consider getting an experienced professional to conduct an energy audit. An energy audit is a specialized type of inspection. It’s where the energy auditor looks over your home and evaluates just how energy-efficient and well-insulated your home is.

A proper audit can track down leaks, tell you where you are losing money, and tell you what you can do to improve your energy efficiency. Improvements may include getting new insulation or upgrading your HVAC if it is very old. Regardless of the results, it’s up to you to decide if and how you want to follow the auditor’s advice.

Get an Expert Inspection & Maintenance

If you want to keep your home secure and your HVAC system running optimally, let the pros handle HVAC maintenance. This way, you have professionals examining your furnace and getting it ready for another season. They will also conduct important maintenance such as cleaning out the air ducts, which is difficult to do on your own.

If you’d like to have the peace of mind that comes from professional inspections and HVAC maintenance, contact us today. We’re ready to get your HVAC system back up to speed.