As days grow shorter and a chill enters the air, you know that fall is here and winter is right around the corner. This is the time to prepare your HVAC for cooler temperatures. Preparing your HVAC system is wise as the seasons change since this will help prevent unexpected breakdowns or damage and ensure that your home is ready to provide the warmth you need in the coming months. Read on for a helpful seasonal HVAC maintenance checklist for fall, and learn what you need to do to get your home ready for the fall and winter:

Seasonal HVAC Maintenance Checklist for Fall: What You Need to Do Before Winter

Turn Off Your AC Unit if Applicable

Once the warm days of summer are behind you, you can save some money by shutting down your AC unit for the season. This will, of course, help lower your power bill, but it will also reduce the wear and tear on your ac unit and prevent it from turning on accidentally. To do this safely, follow the tips listed below:

• Switch it Off: Find your AC unit on the breaker. It typically looks like a light switch. This will be located on the unit itself or near the eclectic supply of your home.
• Remove Debris and Leaves: Make sure you inspect the vents and ports on your AC unit and remove leaves, sticks, dirt, and anything else that could decay inside the unit. Be sure to clean the base of the unit itself as well.

Switch Thermostat For Optimized Temperature

It’s time to switch your thermostat from cooling to heating mode. Adjusting your regular temperature setting can lower your monthly bill and ensure your home stays comfortable as the outside temperatures plummet. Here are some tips to keep in mind for optimizing your thermostat:

• Set your thermostat to 70 degrees or below when at home.
• Lower the temperature setting even more when you are away or at night when sleeping to around 62 degrees.
• Try to avoid overriding preset temperatures and instead layer up or curl up with a comfy blanket if you get cold.
• If you have to adjust your thermostat, try to avoid adjusting more than one degree at a time. Setting your thermostat to a higher degree won’t make it warm your home any faster.

Check Air Filters

Next up on the maintenance checklist is replacing or cleaning all your home’s air filters. Typically, you want to replace your filters every 30 to 90 days in order to protect your HVAC system and also improve your indoor air quality. The best way to remember this is to set a reminder for yourself on your calendar.

Inspect Insulation

Insulation is important all year round, so it’s good to make sure that your home is properly insulated before it starts getting cold. If it’s not, you could be losing heat and fighting against the outside cold to warm your interior space. Check your attic and other areas where you have insulation, and consider adding insulation if you feel your home is not properly protected.

Inspect and Clear Air Vents

As the seasons change, it is a good time to check all the air ducts and vents in your home. We have already talked about the filters, but you can also improve your indoor air quality and your unit’s efficiency by cleaning dirt and debris from the vents themselves. Helpful Tip: Although you might think that closing vents in unused rooms would save you money, in reality, it disrupts the airflow and messes with the way your unit works, which can actually increase your energy costs. 

Contact a Professional For Seasonal Service

Many of the checklist items listed above are tasks you can handle on your own. However, when it comes to actually readying your unit and ensuring that all the mechanical elements are operating properly, it’s often best to call in the experts. Contact us at Comfort Systems to schedule a seasonal maintenance visit and get your HVAC system winter-ready this fall.