Do you want to prepare your HVAC system for cold days to come?

Now that the colder days are coming, more people are using their HVAC systems to warm up their houses and keep themselves comfortable inside. However, with the recent health crisis surging throughout the world, more people have been staying inside now more than ever.

This means that their HVAC systems have been working overtime since the lockdown started. With the added strain on the HVAC systems, how will you be sure that yours will last until the end of the new year?

To help you ensure the longevity of your HVAC units, read the guide below. We’ll tell you about the best tips and tricks you can use to prepare your HVAC unit for the winter and beyond.

1. Change Your Air Filters Often

The best way to ensure your HVAC unit’s longevity is by changing the filters whenever it seems dirty. These are responsible for pumping clean air into your home while the unit heats it. Without them, you’d be breathing in dusty air that can also contain pollutants from the outside.

Changing them as recommended by the manufacturer will ensure your unit stays in its top condition. This is because a dirty air filter will prevent the unit from working efficiently. It will block the passage of temperature-regulated air into the designated room.

This forces the HVAC unit to exert even more effort to ensure the room gets what it needs. This will increase your utility bill further down the line and can even damage your unit. It can even bring dust, pollen, and other pollutants into your home, causing hazards to you and your family.

This makes it important to check on them whenever you can. What’s great is that some HVAC units tell you if your filters are due for a cleaning. Replace them to ensure clean air gets circulated in the house unimpeded.

2. Keep Your Vents Open

You can often find that most people say they close some of the vents in their home to be more economical with their HVAC use. Their idea is that it prevents temperature-regulated air from going to rooms they don’t use.

What these people don’t realize is that they’re doing the opposite of what they intend. This pushes the HVAC unit to work harder to regulate the temperature around the house. This causes it to go well beyond using the average 70% of energy to heat up or cool the house down.

It’s best to keep the vents open if you’re interested in cutting energy costs. While it may feel wasteful, you’ll see that your bills will get reduced in the long run.

3. Protect Your Outdoor Components from the Elements

HVAC units always have components situated outdoors. These pull in air from the outside to pump inside. These also help regulate the temperature inside your home.

Since they’re outside, they’re more susceptible to the elements and pollution. Protecting them from these factors is a great way to keep your HVAC system in top condition.

A great way to start will be well before winter comes. Removing any debris that’s littered all over your outdoor components prevents it from interfering with the inner workings of your unit.

Covering it with insulated and waterproof material also protects it from the cold seasons. It prevents ice from freezing any component of your unit. It also protects any electrical component from getting throughout the year.

It’s a great way to avoid major damages along the line. What’s great is that you’ll only need to do HVAC maintenance later on. You need not hire professionals to repair if you don’t have major damages to your units.

4. Keep Your Ductwork Clean

Another trick to making your HVAC last until the end of the new year is to keep your ductwork clean. The ductwork is the system of ducts that carry air around your house.

As mentioned above, it’s essential to keep the airways clear. This prevents the unit from overexerting and damaging itself in the process. Clearing your ductwork is a great way to ensure air travels freely around your home.

You must do this, especially when the scent of the air feels off. If it’s rancid, moldy, or dry, it may be because something is decaying in your system.

You should also make sure that your vents aren’t blocked by furniture while cleaning. It can compromise the performance and efficiency of your HVAC unit if this happens.

5. Warm Up Your Furnace Before the Cold Season

Some winter HVAC preparation you can do is starting the furnace before winter comes. Doing this ensures that your heating system works before the cold sets in. You can then figure out if you need to replace it now before it’s too late.

Set it on at least 3 times during the fall to prepare it for winter. Let it heat the house until it reaches your desired temperature before turning it off.

Doing this also ensures you’re protecting your furnace from the incoming frost. Unused furnaces will always have trouble starting when the temperatures drop. A furnace that you used in recent times is sure to work even as temperatures go down.

6. Invest in Smart Temperature Control

Year after year, more houses are getting smarter. This means that it becomes compatible with more technologies. These will allow you to have more remote control over your household.

Among these technologies are smart thermostats. Investing in them now allows you to link your house and your HVAC systems to it. This means that you can control the temperatures around your house with ease.

What’s great is that you can then use this to shut off rooms you’re not using. This is a better way to cut costs as it helps the unit realize that the room isn’t in use.

Prepare Your HVAC System For the New Year

With these tips, you’re sure to not have a broken HVAC system before, during, and after the New Year. Use these tricks to keep your unit in top condition and keep your home warmed and powered today!

Does it look like your HVAC unit will break soon? There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in your home without heating during the coldest days of the year. Keep on top of the issue and watch out for the top signs that you need a replacement before it’s too late!