Archive: October 2012

Prepare your HVAC for winter with preventive maintenance

While the changing season provides a great opportunity for homeowners to save on HVAC costs by opening windows and temporarily powering down units, it will soon be time to turn on the heat. Will your system be ready to handle this year’s chill? Regular preventive maintenance, performed twice a year, can help your system keep up with seasonal temperature swings. Plus, it can increase HVAC performance and help you avoid costly emergency repairs—because no one wants to be left without heat in the middle of a snowstorm. While most newer heating systems require little maintenance, a quick tune-up can greatly extend the life of your HVAC equipment, ensuring it always runs at peak efficiency. As always, major furnace maintenance should be handled by a licensed HVAC technician. But there are some steps you can take on your own that can result in a more comfortable winter: Power Down Turn off all power to the unit before performing any maintenance; wait for the blower to stop. Replace Filters Replace air filters at least once every three months. Dirty filters can cause your system to work harder, resulting in lower efficiency. Run a Sound Check Turn your unit on, and check for...