How to Best Care for Your HVAC System During The Fall

Posted on: 3 September 2019

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Fall is arguably one of the easiest seasons on your HVAC system. If your air conditioner is working at all, it's not working very hard. And if you've turned on your furnace, it's probably only kicking on a few times a day, at most. However, this does not mean you can neglect to care for your HVAC system during the fall season. If anything, you should take this season of ease as an opportunity to give your system better care, helping it to recover from the summer challenge and prepare for the chilly winter ahead. Here are a few ways to do that.

Clean your vents.

If there are a few weeks when you are using neither your air conditioner or your furnace, take this opportunity to clean your air vents. Dust will have accumulated on them over the summer, and this dust probably contains some pollen granules and other allergens that you don't want lingering in your home all winter. You can usually remove air vent covers by unscrewing a few screws. Then, you can just wash them with some dish soap in the sink, let them dry, and screw them back into place. While the cover is off, use your vacuum to clean as far down into the vent as you could reach.

Clean up fallen leaves.

Fall is the season of tumbling leaves! Once your trees are bare, make sure you clear any leaves away from your air conditioner, heat pump, or any other outdoor HVAC equipment. You may need to remove the cage from around your air conditioner to remove leaves that have blown inside of it.

Also, make sure you clear away any leaves that have build up near your furnace exhaust pipes. Leaves have a habit of clogging these pipes, which can cause dangerous gasses to build up inside your home during the winter.

Stock up on filters for winter.

You should be changing your air filters every couple of months, summer or winter. Fall is a good time to re-evaluate the type of filters you are using and consider making a change. Choose filters that are designed to trap mold spores and dust mites, as these tend to be prevalent in the winter. Buy a few filters now so you have them on hand throughout the winter months.

Turn off power to your air conditioner.

Once you're done using your air conditioner for the season, turn off power to the unit. This will help prevent the unit from shorting out or suffering electrical damage if there is a big winter storm that affects your power supply. If your air conditioner does not have a power switch, you can turn off the power by turning off the circuit breaker to which your AC unit is connected.

Re-evaluate your thermostat settings.

Setting your thermostat properly is not just good for your wallet. It is also good for your HVAC equipment. If your thermostat is set too low or too high, your furnace or air conditioner will work harder than it needs to, which may lead to premature breakdowns and the need for repairs. Make sure your thermostat is scheduled to turn back a few degrees when you're not home. Consider lowering the temperature a few degrees so your heat does not kick on as soon in the season.

With the tips above, you can embrace this fall season and take great care of your HVAC equipment. Consider also having an air conditioning service come tune up your system this fall. They can shut down your air conditioner and get your furnace started, making sure you're poised for winter.