How To Prepare Your HVAC System For Winter

The holiday season always brings plenty of smiles and happy memories, but it also brings cool winter weather. Is your HVAC system ready to take on the chilly season? There are a few ways you can make sure your system is prepared for the upcoming season.

Foulks Southern Air Heating & Cooling is ready for furnace season, and we want to help homeowners prepare for winter weather, too! This season, make sure that your home’s air system is ready for chilly weather with our professional tips.

Prepare With A Professional Furnace Tune-Up

The best way to get your system ready for cooler weather is with a seasonal maintenance check. A professional HVAC technician should perform maintenance on your system twice per year to keep it running properly. There are plenty of benefits to having your air handler serviced, such as:

• Keeping your system running at its peak efficiency.
• Extending the life of your HVAC system.
• Preventing emergency repairs and system failures.
• Boosting energy efficiency and lowering your energy bills.

Professional maintenance checks are essential if you want to keep your system healthy. There are heating system options on the market, but whether you have a furnace, heat pump or boiler, you can benefit from a professional tune-up.

Prepare For Winter At Home

While you should always leave major maintenance to a professional HVAC technician, there are still ways you can help your system at home.

Turn Off The System

Before handling your unit, turn off all power to the unit. It’s crucial to cut the power and wait for the blower to stop before touching the unit. This will prevent injury and electrocution, so it’s an important step to remember every time you check your unit.

Replace Your Filters

Air filters are crucial to your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) because they trap and prevent pollutants from circulating in your home’s air. If the filters are dirty, they cannot keep your air clear and it will force your air handler to work overtime. The restricted airflow caused by dirty filters can also cause clogs and prevent your home from reaching a comfortable temperature.

Mark your calendars to replace your air filters every one to three months, and follow the filter manufacturer’s instructions. This way, you can keep your system running at full-efficiency.

Listen For Abnormal Sounds

Every time your unit turns on, listen for unusual sounds. Banging, scraping, squealing, rattling and hissing can all be signs of a problem with your unit. Banging and popping sounds can be caused by the air ducts expanding and contracting, so this isn’t concerning unless the noise is constant or extremely loud.

If you notice any unusual sounds coming from your unit, it’s time to schedule a system check-up with an HVAC professional.

Look For Excess Moisture

Excess moisture creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Pooling water, excess condensation on windows or rust and dirt collecting on the vent pipe are all cause for concern. If you notice these issues around your home, it’s time to call your trusted HVAC technician.

It’s important to get units checked by a professional right away, because these signs point to leaks, improper drainage and other malfunctions in the unit.

Check Your Room Temperatures

Cold spots, unusual humidity and changing temperatures can all be concerning. If your home doesn’t feel as comfortable in temperature as it has in years past, then your unit may be struggling. These signs can point towards a failing or malfunctioning unit, but a furnace repair technician can help you out!

Your Trusted Hammond Furnace Repair Company

Are you looking to get professional help to prepare your furnace for colder weather? Foulks Southern Air Heating & Cooling loves helping our Louisiana homeowners with their heaters. We have been locally trusted for over 25 years, because we fix things right the first time.

Our speedy repairs and friendly service speak for themselves. Talk with the folks at Foulks to schedule your service today!