As the seasons turn from winter to spring in Indiana, you’ll probably be busy taking care of various spring chores. Don’t forget your HVAC system during this period. This is an ideal time to spring forward with maintenance on your home’s heating and cooling system. Take the following steps to maintain efficiency and performance this spring and summer.
Check the air filter. After a long winter of use, the air filter on your furnace or air handler likely needs a change. Unless you have changed the filter recently, accumulated dirt and debris may be impeding airflow. This forces your HVAC equipment to work harder, which wastes energy, stresses parts, and makes it more difficult to achieve comfortable temperatures. Check the filter monthly and change it when it looks clogged.
Inspect windows for air leaks. Before replacing the screens for the warm weather, inspect windows and frames to make sure they’re properly sealed. Weatherstripping on window sashes might have deteriorated over the winter, or small leaks may have developed into larger ones. Looks at doors to the exterior to make sure their weatherstripping is still functioning. Sealing air leaks is just as important in the summer as the winter.
Clear the area around the outside unit. The compressor/condenser of your split-system A/C requires clear airflow. Dead leaves, grass clippings, sticks and other yard debris can interfere with the free flow of air. While you’re at it, spray down the unit with a garden hose.
Check ceiling fans. If you’re one of the people who reverse the fan-blade direction in the winter (from the default counter-clockwise to clockwise) for better circulation of warm air, you’ll want to switch the rotation back to counter-clockwise.
Schedule seasonal maintenance. A professional HVAC technician will come to your home and clean, test and adjust your HVAC system to make sure it’s ready to operate with optimum efficiency and performance. He also should inspect your heating system after its long season of use.
For more advice on how to spring forward with your Indianapolis area home’s HVAC system, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Gustavo-Frazao/Shutterstock”
