As the long, hot summer in Coachella Valley fades away and the temperature starts to dip, it’s the perfect time to get your heating system ready. While the winters in the valley can be quite mild compared to many other parts of the country, they still do require home heating for your family to stay safe.
Button Up Your Outdoor Condenser Unit
Your outdoor AC condenser unit plays a big role in keeping your home comfortable during the summer. As we enter the fall, it’s important to shut down and button up that unit until you’re ready to use it next year. This applies to those who have a central air conditioning system and not a heat pump that utilizes the condenser for heating during the winter.
One of the first things that you’ll want to do is shut off the disconnect box near your condenser unit so that it doesn’t accidentally run during the colder weather. Using a vacuum, it’s important to remove any leaves or other debris that are up against the unit. Leaving this debris can allow moisture to accumulate in that area.
Over time, this can cause premature corrosion of your unit’s components and shorten its overall lifespan. It’s best to inspect the entire unit to look for any defects, like bent fins that need to be bent into their original position. You can rebend them with a flat-head screwdriver or a specialized fin comb that fits your condenser unit. Lastly, consider using a breathable AC cover to prevent blowing dirt or other debris from entering your unit. It’s important that you don’t use a completely sealed cover, as doing so could trap unwanted moisture inside your unit and promote corrosion.
Replace Air Filter
One of the most important components of your heating system that can affect its operating efficiency is its air filter. Anytime that your air filter gets too clogged with debris, it can restrict airflow throughout your ducting. This will put more strain on your HVAC system and likely lead to a breakdown. It’s best to put in a new filter at the start of the season and routinely check it once a month.
Anytime that the filter needs to be replaced, it’s important to do it sooner rather than later. If you or another member of your household suffers from a respiratory condition, like allergies or asthma, you may want to consider purchasing a filter with a higher rating. Those with MERV ratings ranging from 11 to 13 will offer the best filtering capability for smaller particles like pollen.
Check Vents and Clean Ducts
Your home’s air vents and ductwork play a huge role in the ability of your heating system to deliver warm, consistent air throughout the interior. Anytime that a vent is closed, it can reduce the efficiency of your heating system by altering the pressure inside your ducting. It’s best to check all your vents at the start of the winter season to ensure that they’re completely open. Be sure to clean off any dust or other debris on the surface of the vent grates.
We highly recommend getting professional duct cleaning about every three to five years. This is important for removing excess dust and other debris that accumulates inside your ducting. This debris can lead to uneven airflow between your rooms and even reduce your indoor air quality level.
Schedule Professional Maintenance
One service that you definitely don’t want to overlook when it comes to prepping your heater for the winter is professional maintenance service. This service is necessary to inspect, clean, and test all the internal components of your heater to ensure that they’re working correctly. Most manufacturers will require this professional maintenance service to maintain the warranty coverage on your system. Furthermore, it helps ensure your system is operating both efficiently and safely to give you peace of mind.
Program Your Thermostat
Having a programmable or smart thermostat is an absolute must to capitalize on energy savings throughout the colder winter months. The early fall is the best time to program your thermostat to ensure optimal savings for the entire season. We suggest turning the temperature down during times when you know you won’t be home to reduce your system’s runtime. It can be helpful to check in every couple of weeks to see if there are any suggestions for more eco-friendly settings on your app.
Switch Ceiling Fan Operation
Ceiling fans can be a great supplemental tool for controlling comfort and reducing energy bills during the winter. It’s vital to ensure they spin in a reverse or clockwise direction. It’s best to run them on a slow speed that creates a slight updraft, pulling cold air upward and pushing warm air trapped at the top of your room down your walls.
This recirculation of hot air allows you to be more comfortable in the room without having to increase the temperature. Having ceiling fans in your bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and other living spaces is the key to reducing wintertime energy bills.
Seal Up New Air Leaks
It’s common for air leaks to develop on the outside walls of your home due to natural shifting in the ground and expansion and contraction of the materials. Anytime there’s airflow between the inside and outside of your home, it can affect your indoor temperature. During the winter months, the heat your heating system produces can slowly escape through all those air leaks to the outdoors.
This will increase the runtime of your heating system and ultimately lead to higher energy bills. We suggest locating any new air leaks and sealing them up with something like caulking or weatherstripping. These leaks are most common around window frames, door frames, light switches, and electrical outlets on your exterior walls.
Test Your Safety Devices
Having adequate safety devices around your home is necessary when running any type of heating system. Every heating system will require a smoke detector, and those burning natural gas, heating oil, or propane will also require a carbon monoxide detector. These should be located on every floor of your home and outside all your bedrooms.
It’s best to replace the batteries in all your detectors and test them to ensure that they’re working properly. Additionally, having a fire extinguisher located near your heating system is an ideal safety measure in the event of a fire. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher that’s rated for type C or ABC fires. It’s best to check the expiration date of your fire extinguisher before the winter season hits to ensure that it’s still valid for use.
Reliable Heater Maintenance Service
Hermetic Heating & Air offers reliable heater maintenance service for the Coachella Valley, CA area. We can also assist with all your heater installation, replacement, and repair needs. Just call our office today to book a consultation with one of our friendly heating technicians.
