Fall HVAC Maintenance: Essential Steps

As the saying goes, “time and tide wait for no one.” Whether you’re prepared or not, the summer months and warmer weather are gone, moving aside for fall and cooler temps. That means here in Howell, NJ, you need to think about preparing your HVAC system for fall maintenance. Maintaining your heating and cooling equipment ensures it’ll run smoothly the way it should when you need it. Investing your time and money in these seasonal maintenance tasks goes a long way to protect both your home and your HVAC investment, including your wallet. Well-running systems are more energy efficient, so they end up costing you less to run all season long.

Fall Maintenance for Your Air Conditioner
Just because you won’t be turning your air conditioner on now doesn’t mean you should forget about it til the spring and summer months. Part of protecting your home and equipment is winterizing your cooling system. If you’ve already had your air conditioner cleaned and checked with 1st Choice Heating and Air Conditioning before you used it this year, you can simply ask your heating-and-cooling professional to winterize your unit while he or she is out cleaning and checking your furnace.

Things you can do yourself:

Clean off the outside unit (condenser) from debris and dirt. If involving water in the process, be sure switch off the power or the circuit to the unit first.

Remove any branches, tall grass, or brush within a four-foot proximity to the unit.

Insulate any exterior exposed pipes with foam pipe covers, wrapping them with duct tape.

Cover the unit with a plastic or vinyl cover. Some folks have an air-conditioner-specific cover. If you don’t, you can use a tarp. Be sure to secure the cover, in whatever form, with bungee cords or vinyl rope. Perform this step after your HVAC technician has already done his or her part in the winterization process.

Things to ask your technician to do:

Clear drain lines and pipes to avoid having standing water in your system all winter.

Clean the coil from dust and dirt.

Check the refrigerant charge, belts and pulleys, and ducts.

Clean and check the entire system if you haven’t had it done this year yet.

Fall Maintenance for Your Heating System
You should schedule your annual maintenance appointment for your heating system before you use it for the season, regardless if you have a furnace, boiler, or heat pump. This appointment shouldn’t be skipped, as keeping your heating system in good order will be sure it’s ready when you need it and keep it functioning properly throughout the season for you.

Things you can do yourself:
Stock up and change your filters every three months, but if you have allergy issues, monthly is advised.
Vacuum your vents to keep them clear of dust, avoiding extra filter buildup or decreased indoor air quality (IAQ).

Things to ask your technician to do:
Clean and check your heating system, including (depending on whether you have a furnace or boiler) all the connections, controls, sensors, drains, ignitor, ducts, pipes, burners, valves, motors, thermostat(s), and smoke/carbon-monoxide detectors, and instruct you on anything you could do between your service visits. Calibrate your thermostat to be sure the readings and heating are accurate.

Taking care of your HVAC system includes seasonal maintenance. With fall here and colder weather encroaching, it makes good sense to call one of our 1st Choice Heating and Air Conditioning technicians at (848) 266-6858 now to schedule your fall appointment. Keeping your system in good working order so it’s there when you need it is one of the things we do best!