4 Ways to Prepare Your Home’s HVAC System for Spring
The importance of routine maintenance for your home’s HVAC unit cannot be overstated. Regular maintenance ensures that the system remains in good condition, prolonging its lifespan and drastically boosting its efficiency. That means having your HVAC unit serviced twice annually, once in spring and once in fall. These times are vital because the demands of cooling in summer and heating in winter can put a great deal of stress on your cooling and heating system.
To get the most comfortable and cost-efficient cooling during the summer months, HVAC maintenance in spring is necessary. Here are four things you need to do to ensure your unit is ready for the warmer months.
1. Change Your Air Filters
Spring is accompanied by pollen, dust, and other allergens. While all these things are acceptable outdoors, you do not want them circulating inside your home due to dirty filters. Additionally, dirty filters make it difficult for your AC to do its job, leading to poor airflow, higher energy costs, and increased wear and tear. By changing your HVAC filters, you can rest assured that air in your home will be clean and free of allergens.
Experts recommend changing filters every one to three months. However, you can change them according to your needs and use. For instance, you need to change your filters regularly if you keep pets, live near a construction site, or have someone who smokes in your home.
2. Clean Your Ductwork
The air ducts work alongside the air filters to clean your indoor air. They circulate air from your HVAC unit in and out of your house, allowing for consistent indoor comfort regardless of the season. All the air in your house circulates via your ducts multiple times every day. This air circulating through your ductwork is the same air that fills your living space and the same you and your entire family breathe.
All the dust, bacteria, and contaminants that enter your house get trapped inside the ducts during the winter months. According to NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association), dirty ductwork circulates air contaminants and pollutants throughout a house five to seven times each day. With time, this re-circulation of air pollutants can build up in your cooling and heating unit, leading to low air quality. Dirty ductwork also makes your HVAC system work hard to push air in and out of your home.
To enhance airflow and air quality, you need to have your ducts cleaned by an expert. Duct cleaning and repair will help eliminate dust and other contaminants from the return and supply air ducts, boosting the performance of your HVAC unit.
3. Clean the Outdoor Unit
Keeping HVAC outdoor coils clean is among the most cost-effective ways toward long-term reliable AC performance. Dirty coils significantly reduce system airflow, hinder the unit’s capacity to absorb heat, and dilute AC efficiency. That means a decrease in indoor air quality and a delayed dehumidification process.
Have your local technician check and clean the outdoor unit to avoid coil-related HVAC issues and prepare your system for the changing seasons. If you have some plants or bushes near the outdoor unit, trim them at least 2 feet from the HVAC unit to avoid blocking or covering the system. Also, remember to remove any condenser covers left on the outdoor HVAC unit through the winter and fall.
4. Test and Reset Your Thermostat
One of the simplest ways to check if your HVAC unit is in great condition is by checking your thermostat. It’s an easy way to determine if there are any problems with cooling. If you realize your energy bills are skyrocketing without temperature changes, you need to fix the thermostat to avoid HVAC problems. As the warm temperatures heat your home in spring, you can save a lot of money by setting the thermostat to a low setting and giving your heater or furnace a break.
Spring temperatures can be quite unpredictable sometimes, and the weather can change without warning. Therefore, you should pay attention to the local weather forecast and adjust thermostat settings as needed to keep your house comfortable.
Schedule Spring HVAC Maintenance Today
Bi-annual HVAC maintenance by an experienced technician is crucial to the longevity and performance of your cooling and heating unit. Our HVAC professionals at New River Heating & Air can examine your unit and perform maintenance tasks to ensure you have a comfortable home regardless of the season.
Apart from HVAC services, we also offer duct cleaning, air quality, generators, tankless heaters, and new residential construction services to the residents of Radford, VA and its surroundings. Contact New River Heating & Air today to schedule your HVAC tune-up appointment or order any other service.