Winter in Thousand Palms, CA, is relatively mild. But when nighttime temperatures hit the low 40s, you’ll want a functional heater. Fortunately, you can avoid mid-season breakdowns and inefficient performance with this fall HVAC checklist.
Filter Maintenance
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), maintaining a clean air filter could improve heater efficiency by up to 15%. All the air that enters your HVAC system passes through its air filter. If your HVAC air filter has a thick coating of lint-like debris, your furnace or heat pump could short-cycle, overheat, or shut down. Dirty air filters can make building interiors feel muggy or clammy. They can also lead to unpleasant HVAC odors, louder operation, and elevated operational stress.
Fall is a great time to fine-tune your filter replacement schedule and put in a fresh filter. You should inspect this component monthly. If you use a standard air filter in your home, replace it every one to three months.
HVAC Tune-Up Service
There’s no better way to get your home heating system ready for winter than by scheduling professional tune-up service. During tune-up service, our technicians test and optimize airflow, tighten loose components, and replace worn parts. We inspect and calibrate thermostats, assess the integrity of exhaust vents, and check fuel lines.
General Air Conditioning & Plumbing uses comprehensive, multi-point checklists to ensure the safety and functionality of heating systems. Fall tune-up service allows our technicians to spot developing problems and address them. They also keep homeowners compliant with their heater manufacturers’ warranties.
Furnace vs. Heat Pump Maintenance
All types of HVAC equipment require professional maintenance at least once each year. If you use a furnace and air conditioner for year-round climate control, you should have your furnace tuned up in autumn and your AC tuned up in spring. However, if you use a heat pump for both heating and cooling, your heat pump will need tune-up service twice annually. Even if you had your heat pump tuned before the cooling season, scheduling professional maintenance in autumn will help you avoid problems like:
- Dirty evaporator and condenser coils
- Insufficient blower motor lubrication
- Dirty fan blades
- A blocked condensate drain
Condenser Maintenance
California homeowners who use heat pumps for heating should carefully inspect the perimeters of their outdoor condensers in the fall. These components require at least 2 feet of clearance on every side. Before winter arrives, remove all loose, windblown debris. You should also cut back any living landscaping elements that have grown too close to the condenser.
Air Balancing
If you haven’t done so in a while, schedule air balancing service. Air balancing optimizes air delivery. HVAC technicians strategically alter the position of the duct damper and HVAC air vents to minimize static pressure and limit HVAC system stress. Air balancing also allows HVAC companies to find and open closed air vents, too. Multiple vent closures increase static pressure in ducting and could cause short cycling or overheating.
Basic Air Vent Maintenance
Even if you don’t schedule air balancing ahead of winter, you can still take steps to optimize air delivery. Check for and open closed air vents throughout the building. Wipe air vent covers clean with a soft cloth. If necessary, unscrew vent covers and carefully vacuum behind them to remove heavy lint-like buildups.
HVAC Air Duct Cleaning
According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), homeowners should schedule professional duct cleaning service every three to five years. In Thousand Palms, you may need duct cleaning more often. Operating HVAC systems during the local fire season often leads to odorous smoke residues and tacky HVAC air duct coatings. Dust, dirt, dander, and other airborne debris can adhere to these coatings. Worse still, they can break free during winter HVAC operation and diminish indoor air quality (IAQ).
Comprehensive Duct Maintenance
During annual heater maintenance, our team tests airflow throughout HVAC systems and visually inspects exposed air ducts for leaks. However, you should schedule more comprehensive HVAC air duct maintenance each year. According to the DOE, HVAC air ducts can lose as much as 40% of the heat energy produced by heat pumps and furnaces. Loose connections, perforated ducts, and other duct damage will increase these losses.
During professional duct maintenance, you can get recommendations for duct sealing, duct insulation, and other improvements. Pre-season duct maintenance and needs-specific duct improvements will lower your carbon footprint and your home energy bill. They can also boost your IAQ.
Indoor Air Quality Testing and Improvement
In winter, natural air exchange declines. To prevent the loss of heated air and the influx of cold, outdoor air, locals keep their homes tightly sealed. Testing your indoor air quality before winter arrives could reveal problems like:
- Too much or too little humidity
- High concentrations of gaseous chemical contaminants
- Elevated particulate matter
- Insufficient ventilation
You can resolve ongoing IAQ concerns with integrated HVAC accessories such as whole-house humidifiers or dehumidifiers, whole-house air purifiers, air scrubbers, or media filters.
IAQ improvements can both protect and enhance the efficiency of your heating equipment. With less dust, dander, and other particulates floating around your home, you’ll have less debris settling on sensitive interior components. IAQ improvements can extend the lifespan of your HVAC air filters, keep your heat pump’s evaporator coil clean, and more.
Upgrade and Program Your Thermostat
If you haven’t upgraded from a standard thermostat to a smart or programmable option, do so before winter arrives. According to ENERGY STAR, upgrading to a smart thermostat could reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 8% annually. With a smart or programmable thermostat, you can program multiple temperature changes throughout the day to reflect your schedule. This way, you won’t waste energy on heating your home to your preferred temperature when you’re asleep or at work.
According to the DOE, dropping your thermostat’s setting by seven to 10 degrees during nighttime hours or when you’re away could reduce your heating costs by as much as 10%. An upgraded thermostat will make these adjustments easy by eliminating oversight and human error.
A smart thermostat will provide additional benefits, including:
- Performance alerts
- Air filter replacement reminders
- Energy consumption reporting
- Indoor air quality alerts
Given that smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled, consumers can also monitor and adjust their settings remotely.
No matter which thermostat type you choose, take a minute to review its settings in autumn. Set your preferred winter temperature and assess your thermostat’s location. Your thermostat should never be too close to your stove or any other heat-generating appliance.
Test Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If you use a gas-fired furnace for winter heating, it’s important to test your carbon monoxide (CO) detectors before the heating season. You should have working carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home and outside every sleeping area. If needed, replace the backup batteries in these devices and swap old CO detectors for new ones. On average, CO detectors need replacing every five to seven years.
We help homeowners in Thousand Palms optimize their home comfort with cutting-edge HVAC systems. We offer heat pump and furnace maintenance, replacement, and repairs. We also offer a benefits-rich HVAC preventative maintenance plan and advanced IAQ support. For help getting your heater ready for winter, get in touch with General Air Conditioning & Plumbing now!
