Now that spring is here, it’s time to take a look at your HVAC system and get it ready for the upcoming summer. We might still be a few weeks before you really need to turn on your air conditioning, but it’s never too early to go through this short checklist and get everything ready to go.
Replace Your Air Filters
Even though you should be replacing your air filters every month, it’s a bit of maintenance that is often overlooked. Use this springtime maintenance period as a reminder to change your air filter if you haven’t done so this month.
Clear your Outdoor Unit
If you have a central heating and cooling system, you probably have a unit on the outside of your home. This unit will almost certainly be covered by months of debris as it’s gone unused during the winter. Once the snow around your outdoor unit melts, clear out any leaves, branches, and any other debris that could block the airflow to your home and lower your system’s overall efficiency. In fact, you should be checking your outdoor unit periodically anyway during the spring and summer, especially after a severe storm.
Reset Your Thermostat
If you have a programmable thermostat, you will want to reset it to something that will make more sense during the summer months. It’s up to you to decide what the most comfortable settings are for you and your family, but the most efficient setting during the summer is 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home and 88 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re away from home. This step can obviously wait longer than the others, but it’s easy to forget to do this until you find that your home is much hotter than it should be.
Schedule a Maintenance Call
Even though there are things you can do by yourself to ensure that your HVAC system is working properly, but you should still schedule a maintenance call with a Fox Valley heating and cooling company to go over everything. This will allow you to catch and repair any minor issues before they turn into expensive repairs, so make this appointment sooner rather than later.
