As the weather gets colder, preparing your HVAC system for the winter is important. Unfortunately, over half of all home heating and cooling systems fail during their first ten years due to improper maintenance and installation. In order to avoid this fate, follow these tips on how to prepare your HVAC system for winter.
Inspect and change your air filters
Air filters should be changed every three months or more often if you have pets or smoke in the house. If you don’t have a filter for your HVAC system, it’s time to install one. Airflow plays a big part in how well your furnace works. When you don’t have enough air flowing through the ducts, warm air may become trapped in pockets throughout your home, resulting in cold spots and uneven temperatures throughout your home during colder months. Remember that preparing the HVAC system for winter is crucial even in homes for sale. Realtors in Charlotte, NC, work closely with HVAC technicians to help fix these systems.
Clean the outdoor unit
Cleaning the outdoor unit is one of the most integral steps to take to ensure that your system is ready for winter. Your HVAC system comes with an air filter, which should be replaced every 3-6 months, depending on how often you have it serviced. Check your manual or technician to see if this has been done recently.
Cleaning the dirt and other debris from the outdoor unit will help maintain its efficiency and reduce noise and wear on internal units. This can be done by vacuuming out any debris or using a leaf blower if there is excess dirt buildup that cannot be cleared by hand.
Purchase and install a programmable thermostat
Be sure to purchase and install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat lets you set a schedule for when the air conditioning or heating will turn on and off, which can help you save money on your energy bill. It also helps reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the energy needed to keep your home at an optimal temperature all day.
Wrap up the pipes for better insulation
Wrapping your water pipes in foam insulation can help prevent freezing. During the winter months, if your home’s temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), you may experience frozen pipes and other damage to your HVAC system.
Use heat tape on pipes where there is a chance of freezing, and use pipe insulation to wrap around exposed pipes that run through unheated areas.
Assess room temperature
Before you can prepare your HVAC system for winter, it’s essential to assess the temperature in your home. The ideal room temperature is comfortable and consistent throughout the year. To achieve this, you must consider both how hot or cold your house gets during winter months and what time of day people use a particular room.
To determine the comfort level of the space, look at factors such as air quality and humidity levels. For example, if you live in an area with high-humidity summers but low-humidity winters, there’s no need to cool off your home since summer won’t be too hot or humid inside when summer rolls around again.
In contrast, if you live somewhere where winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing temperatures with minimal snowfall over long periods, it would be important to save energy by keeping your thermostat set low enough so that pipes don’t freeze while still providing sufficient heating capabilities when required.
Conclusion
Keep in mind there are a dozen ways to prepare your HVAC system for cold weather. Contact the experts today if you need more help or more information on how to keep your home warm and dry during the winter months.
