How To Winterize Your Home’s HVAC System

Don’t Be Left in the Cold; Winterize Your Home’s HVAC system before its freezing

Pennsylvania has experienced some mild winters recently, but we are still not without cold snaps and should always be ready for a frosty winter. Making certain your furnace, heat pump, boiler, or fireplace are up to the challenge of winter this year.

  • Smoke and CO Detectors are a MUST!

It can’t be stressed enough that working smoke detectors are located throughout every home all year. And CO detectors are a must have in any home utilizing fuel burning appliances. These should be tested regularly, batteries need to be replaced as needed, a good reminder to do this is when daylight savings time starts and ends. Lastly, expiration dates should be checked on the detectors themselves, an expired smoke or CO detector could be faulty.

  • Have the System Serviced

Heating systems should be professionally serviced annually, much like the oil change for your car. It is a mechanical system that requires regular maintenance to ensure it is working as the manufacturer intended. A maintenance visit by a professional HVAC company should include a full system diagnosis, cleaning, and report of findings. This will promote a more efficient and reliable operation throughout the winter.

  • Change Your Systems Filter

During a maintenance visit, air filters are to be changed as needed. However, depending on the type of filter in your system, it may need to be changed as often as monthly. Keeping filters clean and changed results in a cleaner, more efficient system, with the added bonus of healthier indoor air.

  • Inspect and Clean Chimneys and Flues

Before using any system that exhausts through a chimney or flue, make sure that it is inspected before use. There is no set schedule for cleaning a chimney; this is an as-needed basis. Regardless a thorough inspection should be performed every year.

  • Check High-Efficient Furnace Exhaust

Perform a visual inspection of any exterior PVC venting from high-efficient gas furnaces and water heaters. This will make sure that animals have not decided to make this venting a home or kids have not stuffed anything into the pipes – crazier things have happened!

  • Clear Outdoor Heat Pump Unit

Make sure the heat pump unit outside has plenty of room around it for best possible air flow. Clear away any vegetation that has decided to grow nearby.

  • Whole-house Humidifier Service

Humidifiers are a great way to keep your air healthy and comfortable during the dry winter months. Many of these humidifiers require a new water panel to be changed annually. A professional service technician will take the time to make sure the humidifier is running correctly to keep you comfortable all winter long.

  • Test Your Heating System

Before relying on your heat full-time, the system should be turned onto heating mode in the fall. Feel if it is getting hot and listen for noises that might not be typical.

Additional Home Heating Help and Service

Taking these steps to prepare your homes heating system for winter will pay off in the long run. The hope is to increase comfort, reliability, efficiency, and overall peace of mind for many winters to come. For more information or to schedule a visit, give us a call at (717)697-3528 or schedule a visit online.

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