With the fall season upon the Dayton area, take advantage of the milder temperatures to prepare your HVAC system for the heating months. You’ll save energy and make your home safer and more comfortable. Use these five tips for fall HVAC maintenance as your guide.
Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms
You want you and your loved ones to be safe through the heating months. Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms have fresh batteries and are functioning correctly. CO is an odorless and invisible gas that can cause flu-like systems in lower exposure levels and catastrophic harm in high-exposure doses.
Humidifier Cleaning
The heating months are often characterized by dry indoor air in many homes. Dry air may exacerbate asthma and allergies, and irritate your skin, nose, throat, and eyes. Humidifiers alleviate dry indoor air by introducing moisture to your home. Make sure your humidifier is thoroughly cleaned. For whole-home systems, replace the media panel or clean the ceramic mesh screen.
Ductwork and Vents
Visually check your air ducts for leaks, tangles, fallen seams, and damage. Wrap duct leaks and fallen seams with heat-resistant metal tape. You may add joint collars to increase the strength.
Make sure all air vents are open. Closed vents actually don’t save energy. Closed vents only restrict airflow across the blower and through you home. Clean air vents with your vacuum or antibacterial wipes.
Evaporator Coil
If the evaporator coil of your A/C system sits atop the furnace, disinfect and clean the coil using a foaming spray. A dirty coil blocks heated airflow from the furnace and recirculates contaminants on the coil to your home.
Air Filter
Stock up on high-efficiency air filters to last through the heating months. Check your filter monthly and change it before it clogs up with dirt. A dirty filter increases pressure drop across the blower, which may damage it and increase your energy bills.
With a little effort, you HVAC system can keep your home efficient through the heating months. Contact Ace Hardware Home Services in Dayton for more information about fall HVAC maintenance or to schedule service.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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