Despite how hot it currently is, it won’t be all that long before summer ends and the kids are back at school. When this time comes, it’s important to take some basic steps to ensure your HVAC system is properly maintained and ready to smoothly make the transition from cooling to heating.
By maintaining your HVAC system, you can help make sure it works effectively and also prevent certain issues from arising.
Check and Clean Outdoor HVAC Unit
Keeping the area around your outdoor HVAC unit clean and free of debris is important for ensuring effective performance. In places like Oklahoma, you often still need to run your air conditioning throughout much of September and sometimes even into October. That means you want to make sure to regularly check the area once fall arrives to make sure no leaves are piled up around the unit and blocking off the airflow.
You also want to trim back any bushes, shrubs and other vegetation so that there is at least two to three feet of clearance around the unit. Another thing many experts recommend is using a garden hose to gently wash out the inside of the unit, as this helps to get rid of any dirt and debris that has collected on the condenser coil. However, it’s important that you don’t use a pressure washer or a powerful spray nozzle since this could result in major damage.
Replace or Clean the Air Filter
You typically need to replace or clean the air filter in your HVAC system every two to three months. That means the end of summer is a good time to do so if you haven’t done it recently. Before removing the filter, you should shut your HVAC system off at the thermostat to prevent dust and debris from getting sucked into the air handler. You can continue using the filter for a while longer if it isn’t discolored or covered in a layer of debris, but you should make sure to check it again in a few weeks.
If you have a reusable filter that’s looking dirty, you should gently wash it with water and use a soft-bristle brush to remove any stuck-on dirt and debris. Once the filter is clean, you need to make sure to let it fully dry before you put it back in. If the filter is still damp, you could end up with mold and algae growth on it, resulting in spores getting spread around the house and negatively affecting your indoor air quality.
Clean and Check the Thermostat
One issue you can sometimes encounter is dust collecting inside your thermostat and causing it to not register the correct temperature. If the thermostat isn’t registering the temperature correctly, it can result in your HVAC system running more than necessary or not running often enough. That’s why it’s a good idea to occasionally clean the inside of the thermostat and use an instant-read kitchen thermometer to see if it’s displaying the correct temperature.
Before cleaning the thermostat, you should shut off the power to your HVAC system by flipping the circuit breaker. You can then remove the cover and use a can of compressed air or a soft brush to gently clean away any dust. If you use a brush, you need to be extra careful not to damage any components or touch anything with your hand.
If your thermostat was off by more than 1-2 degrees before you cleaned it, you should check it again once you’ve turned the power back on. If it’s still off, you should have it inspected by a professional HVAC technician. A technician can often fix the issue by recalibrating the thermostat, but there’s also a chance that the thermostat is bad and needs to be replaced.
Turn Off the Power to Outdoor AC Unit
Once fall arrives and you no longer need to run your air conditioning, it’s a good idea to turn off the power to the outdoor unit. This is just to ensure it won’t turn on if someone accidentally switches the thermostat to cooling mode. If an AC runs in temperatures below 60 degrees, it can lead to liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor and causing major damage or destroying it.
Most modern AC systems have a power shut-off on the exterior wall of the house next to the outdoor unit. To shut off the power, you just need to open the cover and then flip the switch to the off position. You then need to make sure to fully close the cover to prevent water from getting inside.
If there isn’t a shut-off switch outside, you will need to find the circuit breaker for the outside AC unit in your main electrical panel and shut it off. However, you need to be careful not to shut off the breaker for the indoor air handler unit, as this controls the power to the furnace and HVAC blower.
Cover the Outdoor Unit
If you have a heat pump, you obviously don’t want to cover it, but covering a standard AC unit is a good idea even if it’s not totally necessary. By covering the unit, you can prevent debris from getting inside it so that you don’t need to have it cleaned out before turning your AC back on the next year. You can find breathable covers specifically designed for AC units that just slide straight over the top. If you don’t want to buy a cover, you can also just use a tarp and secure it with bungee cords or tie-down straps.
If you use a tarp, you don’t want it to hang down more than a few inches over the sides of the unit to ensure air can still flow through it. If you completely cover the unit with anything that isn’t breathable, it can cause moisture to get trapped inside and lead to components rusting and corroding.
Test Your Heating System
It’s always a good idea to test your heating system before it gets cold enough that you need to start running it. That way, you can make sure that it turns on and doesn’t have any issues. After turning the system on, you should let it run for a few minutes and make sure it works properly and doesn’t make any unusual noises. Make sure to call a local heating service if there’s anything strange so that it can be addressed before cold weather arrives.
Schedule a Tune-Up
The best way to get your HVAC system ready for the seasonal transition and make sure your heating is ready to work effectively is with a professional tune-up. This service involves a technician inspecting, testing and cleaning various components and parts of the system, including the thermostat, blower, furnace burners, flame sensor, etc.
An annual tune-up goes a long way toward making sure the HVAC system works effectively and is more energy efficient. It also helps reduce the chances of the system breaking down or developing issues that require it to be repaired. Another major benefit of annual tune-ups is that they help protect the life of the HVAC system to ensure you can get as many years out of it as possible.
Get Reliable Service
For reliable HVAC services in Moore and the OKC Metro Area, look to Home Comfort Solutions. We’ve been serving residential and commercial customers for more than two decades and have what it takes to professionally handle all of your cooling and heating needs. Our HVAC maintenance plan makes it easier than ever to remember to schedule and saves you money, too.
Our team can service and repair all makes and models of central and ductless AC systems, heat pumps and furnaces and will make sure your HVAC system is properly maintained. To schedule an end-of-summer tune-up or any other service, contact us today.
