How to Maintain Your Heating System This Fall
During the fall season, there are many chores and maintenance tasks you need to take care of before the winter weather arrives.
Failing to complete chores like cleaning the gutters, sealing cracks and holes in your home’s exterior, insulating plumbing pipes, and adding new weatherstripping to window and door frames can result in an inefficient home that could cost you money due to higher utility bills and possible home repairs.
However, there’s one piece of maintenance you MUST do during the fall (and throughout the winter) if you want to keep your home and family safe this winter — maintaining your heating system.
How to Maintain Your Heating System
1) Have It Serviced By a Professional
Every single year your heating system should be serviced and inspected by your local HVAC technician. Having this annual service will prevent your heating system from breaking down unexpectedly (which usually end up happening on the coldest night of the year).
This service will allow the professional to see if there are any parts that are malfunctioning and provide you with the opportunity to replace them before more damage is done to the system. The heating system will also be cleaned, lubed, and made sure that everything is working properly.
You’ll enter the cold weather months with full confidence that your heating system will work without fail AND will be as efficient as possible to help ease the burden on your wallet.
2) Change Filters Routinely
Air filters are a part of every forced air HVAC system. They are an integral part of filtering the air that is pushed into the home and helping increase the indoor air quality. However, not every homeowner will change the filters within this system as often as they should (and some forget to do this altogether)! This results in very poor indoor air quality.
For those with furnaces, there is a furnace filter within the unit that will need to be changed out every month or so. This filter is located right next to the blower and can be unlocked so you can slide the old filter out and the new one in. In addition to the furnace filter, there are also air filters in the return vents that will also need to be changed every month or so.
3) Clearing Dust From Vents & Ductwork
Within the air vents and ductwork of your forced air HVAC system is going to be a thick layer of dust and debris that has built up over time. As air travels through this ductwork, the dust particles that travel in the air can (and will) settle on the surfaces of the ductwork.
As months and years go by, this layer of dust will build up more and more until it becomes a problem for your home’s indoor air quality. As more air travels through the ductwork and vents, old dust can be kicked up into the air, which results in you and your family breathing in this air. Make sure you have your air vents and ductwork professionally cleaned every few years.
If it has been more than a few years since your ductwork’s last cleaning, this fall should be your time to have this maintenance done.
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Maintaining your heating system isn’t difficult by any means, you just have to remember to do it and know who to call in order to help you!
When it’s time to inspect and service your home’s heating system, know that Advanced Home Services is always on your side. Our HVAC professionals will be more than happy to help you out and make sure your heating system will keep you and your family warm all winter long!
