You will want your HVAC system running efficiently as winter temperatures drop. It is also crucial that you protect equipment from these environmental conditions. Let’s look at five things you can do to get the most out of your HVAC system this winter and extend its lifespan.
1. Protect Your Outdoor Components by Covering Them
Your air conditioner will be hibernating now that winter is here. If you have an outdoor AC condenser, you will want to cover it. It protects it from the elements and discourages rodents from using it to shelter from the cold.
Use breathable material for covering, and provide a hard top like plywood to protect the condenser from falling icicles. Don’t cover your heat pump, though. It operates year-round and needs to take in air.
2. Open Space Around Your Furnace Cabinet and Vents
It is easy to forget about your vents during this time of year, and it is easy to accidentally block them as space gets used by decorations, moving furniture, and guests. Provide at least six inches of clearance around your vents for proper airflow.
Don’t let items build up around the furnace cabinet, either. Natural gas units need airflow to stay cool and run efficiently. Thirty inches of clearance on all sides of the cabinet should suffice.
3. Replace Your Filters
Replacing your filters helps reduce dust and allergens in your system and home. Regular changes also reduce how hard your furnace works to circulate air. That saves you money and extends the life of the system. Look to replace filters every:
- One to three months for filters up to two inches thick
- Six to nine months for filters between three and four inches
- Nine to 12 months for five to six-inch thick filters
4. Make Sure the Thermostat Is Working Properly
The last thing you want is to discover your thermostat isn’t working during weather extremes, so inspecting it twice a year is advisable. Make sure it has power and is reading the room temperature accurately.
Test the thermostat by slowly increasing the temperature to see if the heater will kick on. Another person can stand by the cabinet and listen to the heater as it starts.
5. Schedule Professional Preventative Maintenance
Busy schedules, holidays, and forgetfulness make maintenance inconvenient for most homeowners. Preventative Maintenance Agreements help schedule maintenance and can save you money.
These services can help with additional maintenance than the items listed above, including system and safety checks, adjusting parts, lubricating components, inspections, and performing a combustion analysis.
Contact us for preventative maintenance in Lubbock, TX!
