How Can You Winterize Properly?
How to Properly Winterize Your HVAC System?
Your HVAC system should be your reliable partner in any season, especially the winter season. You cannot leave things up to fate and go through winter without caring for your HVAC system or preparing it for the harsh season. This is why you need to familiarize yourself with the right way to winterize your HVAC system to get through the cold season without any problems.
If you do not understand how to get your HVAC system ready for the coming winter, there is no need to fret. We help you with everything from preliminary inspection to final winterization. Let’s take a look at the top-most to-dos from seasoned professionals. These tips will help keep your HVAC running smoothly and lower your utility costs.
Take Care of the Filters
An HVAC filter acts as the first line of defense against any pollutants, dirt, or debris that might want to make its way into your home. Moreover, these filters are in constant touch with the indoor air, and this is why you need to pay special attention to HVAC filters. Homeowners should get regular inspections twice a year and make sure to change the filters.
Some HVAC filters may last up to a year. However, most filters need to be changed quarterly or even every month. Similarly, customers don’t have to spend a fortune on changing these filters, and you can easily change them yourself after a few attempts.
Test Your Thermostats
Whether you have installed traditional thermostats in your home or smart ones, it is recommended that you take care of your thermostats and check them every month to ensure smooth functionality.
Thermostats keep running 24/7, and this is why it makes sense to double-check these devices to ensure that these thermostats are working correctly and will stay with you through the winter season.
One right way to do this is to set different temperature levels every half hour and manually check the temperature inside the living space to see if the thermostats lowered or raised the temperature levels.
Additionally, if your thermostats fail to work correctly, this will not only make you feel uncomfortable inside your house, but your energy bills will also go through the roof. Before the winter arrives, take some time out and try to turn on the heat and see if it works properly. If the thermostat refuses to raise the internal temperature levels, it is time to call professionals.
Take A Look at The Ductwork and Vents
Ducts are among the core elements of any HVAC system, and you need to make sure that all the ducts are properly interconnected and there is no blockage or debris inside these ducts. For this, you can either take a look into the ducts by yourself or call a professional to make sure that all the ducts are working properly.
Secondly, you will also need to look at vents and see if they are working as desired. You can easily remove the vent covers yourself and check for debris or blockages. If your vents or ductworks are filled with debris, the air will not properly flow through these, and you will have to face a cold atmosphere inside the house.
Cover Any Exposed Pipes
Your HVAC unit may be working properly, but you will have to ensure that it keeps working properly. To do that, you will have to insulate the pipes and refrain from contacting the outside cold air. For this, you can purchase pipe covers from any local hardware store and slip them onto your pipes.
You can also seek useful help from an expert to take care of the pipes and insulate these pipes to retain heat and offer a higher efficiency level in the winter season. If you fail to insulate your pipes properly, you will have to face heat loss via these pipes. The HVAC system will ultimately work harder to make up for the lost heat, and your energy bills will be higher than before.
Therefore, you will have to take care of your pipes and invest your money and resources in properly insulating these pipes in the winter season. Moreover, if you do not insulate the pipes and the temperatures fall below the freezing point, your pipes may freeze and break.
This way, you will have to replace entire pipes and pay a hefty amount in repairs. So, you need to cover your pipes and keep them safe from the harsh winter.
Cover the HVAC Unit
Covering the pipes alone is not enough. You also have to take care of the HVAC unit and insulate it with a tarp or a furnace cover. This way, you will be able to protect your HVAC system from the harsh winter season and small rodents that may try to make their way into the warm unit to avoid the cold season.
If you do not want to cover the unit with an expensive tarp, you can also use a cheap sheet of plywood and place it on the top of your HVAC unit. This will cover all the possible entry points for rodents and retain heat during the cold season.
You will need to find experts and seasoned HVAC specialists who can help you with HVAC maintenance and winterization. Such experts can help you cover the pipes and the unit itself and keep these safe during any season.
Invest in A Furnace Tune-Up
You will also need to look for furnace specialists who can help you with furnace tune-ups without any problems. When you move from air conditioner to heating, it is recommended to get a furnace tune-up to guarantee the smooth functioning of the furnace during the heating process. Skilled furnace technicians can help you tune up and get your HVAC unit ready and winterized without any problems.
Winterizing Properly Means Reduced Bills
If you are getting ready for the winter season and want to get your HVAC system ready, the tips mentioned above can help you. They will help you choose the most affordable option for your residential or commercial needs. So, if you wish to save more money on utilities, you can contact a local utility bidder and switch providers for a better and cheaper tariff.