As soon as temperatures begin to drop, it is imperative that you start preparing your home for the upcoming winter season.
From keeping up your landscape to cleaning the gutters, there are several home maintenance activities you need to do to protect your property from the cold and yourself from unexpected and costly repairs. One particular task you need to complete before the cold season arrives is to check your HVAC system.
Generally speaking, your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is probably your most valuable winter equipment. Its main job is to keep your home nice and cozy while improving the air quality through adequate ventilation.
But if your system is running poorly, not only are you looking at a cold home, but also very high heating bills that can run your wallet dry.
That’s why we are giving you four essential tips to maintain your HVAC system and ensure it is working efficiently this winter season.
Table of Contents
Perform annual HVAC maintenance
Because you depend on your HVAC system all year round, performing annual maintenance is crucial for improving its efficiency and extending its lifespan.
This maintenance involves inspecting, cleaning, testing, repairing, or even replacing components in the system that prevent it from operating properly. By investing in regular maintenance for your HVAC unit, you will be able to fix any issues before they turn into bigger problems.
For instance, if you’ve had a furnace for many years now and want to replace it, you should call up local contractors to professionally install a new unit.
If you live in Edmonton, for example, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, make sure you search for the best Edmonton furnace installation services near you to get proper installation or maintenance from professional contractors.
Check for any HVAC noise and smell
No matter what type of HVAC system you have to keep you warm in winter, you should always look for any signs of improper working. Common signs that can be a real indication that something is wrong with your unit are weird noises and smells.
For example, if you notice bad odors such as moldy, gas, or burning smells, then those could certainly mean trouble. To fix these issues, you should call an HVAC maintenance contractor to diagnose the source of the problem before it becomes too late to repair.
The same goes for strange noises such as squeals, shrieks, rattling, and scraping which can also be an indication of serious underlying issues. Chances are your furnace may be dirty or needs a quick repair, or you need to change the air filters immediately to prevent further problems.
Inspect your programmable thermostat
Checking your programmable thermostat is another essential tip you need to follow to maintain the efficiency of your HVAC system. Start by ensuring that your thermostat has fresh batteries and is properly set to meet your winter comfort needs so you can improve your energy savings.
Some key points you should remember when inspecting your thermostat include:
- Setting your indoor temperature no higher than 21 degrees Celsius;
- Setting your thermostat at a cooler temperature than 21 degrees Celsius while you are away or sleeping at night;
- Avoid overriding your thermostat’s settings so you can protect yourself from high energy bills;
- When adjusting the temperature, remember to do so by just a few degrees so you don’t waste too much energy.
Design a shelter for your outdoor unit
If you live in a region where there is lots of snow, ice, and rainfall, then you should think about building a shelter for your outdoor unit. Remember to not cover the entire unit because that can seal in moisture and cause corrosion. This is especially true if you have heat pumps that run all year round and must never be covered completely.
What you want is to provide a cover for the fan without closing it off. You can do so by installing a cage or a wooden cover around it. You can easily make this a DIY project for which you will need a few wooden planks, nails, and a hammer to build your cover. Make sure the fence is bigger than the unit so you can ensure proper ventilation.
HVAC Controller
Final thoughts
Although there are many maintenance tasks you need to do to prepare your home for winter, checking your HVAC system is probably the most important one.
You will be using your unit to keep your home nice and warm while improving the air quality in your living space through adequate ventilation. If you need help doing so, refer to our post and follow the tips to properly maintain your HVAC system this winter.
