Now that the busy holiday season is over for another year, hopefully you will have a chance to enjoy a well-deserved rest. Once you’ve caught your breath, it’s important to tackle HVAC maintenance tasks to keep your home warm and cozy for the duration of the winter. In addition to what your Heating and Air professional does during the bi-annual maintenance tune-ups, there is a few things homeowners can do as well to ensure their HVAC system is working most efficiently.
Here’s a handy checklist of necessary HVAC maintenance tasks for January:
Adjust Your Thermostat Settings
The mid-point of the heating season is a good opportunity to assess your utility bills. If they’re higher this winter, you can take steps to lower your energy usage by evaluating your thermostat programming and making some adjustments. When you’re making programming changes, keep in mind that you can reap the most savings by scheduling 8- to 10-degree temperature setbacks for at least eight-hour periods each day. Oftentimes, the most convenient periods for lengthy temperature setbacks are on weekdays when the house is unoccupied, and at night when everyone is sleeping.
Tidy Up Around the Outdoor Unit
If you heat your home with a split system or mini-split heat pump, January is a good time to clean up the area around the outdoor unit so your equipment can stay running reliably and efficiently for the remainder of the winter. To maintain an ample amount of airflow and promote proper heat exchange, clear away leaves, grass clippings and other yard debris, and trim back tall or overgrown trees/shrubs and plants so there’s two feet of clearance on all sides of the unit.
Maintain Your HVAC Registers
Inspecting and cleaning all your HVAC registers mid-winter helps ensure proper distribution of warm air throughout your home. It can also help prevent a decline in system airflow that may damage components or cause an unexpected shutdown due to overheating. With your vacuum in tow, go from room to room and clean each register cover and duct opening. At the same time, make sure all your register covers are fully open, and your return air grilles are free from any obstructions like long curtains, furniture, throw rugs or children’s toys.
For maintenance tune ups, repairs and new system upgrades in your Eastern North Carolina home or business, contact the professionals at Jackson & Sons.
