Thursday, September 20, 2012

How to prepare for winter with your HVAC unit


As winter approaches and temperatures drop, you’ll find that your utility bills will increase, mostly because of heating costs. However, if you prepare your HVAC system in advance and maintain it properly, you can cut your electricity usage and add to the life of your HVAC system.

Examine Your HVAC Unit

Many HVAC systems can last as long as 20 years before they need to be replaced. Examine your unit to see if it is still functioning efficiently and properly. If not, contact a professional HVAC contractor to replace it and provide you with an HVAC system fit for your home’s needs. While this may be a large initial cost, it will save you money in the long run and make your house warmer and safer. Be sure to check your HVAC system long before the onset of winter. If you only discover that you need to install a new unit during the winter, you may be stuck for a number of days in freezing weather, especially if you live in an area like Minneapolis.

Change Your Filter

Sometime the only repair that needs to be done is to replace an old filter. When purchasing a new one, consider a reusable filter. These can be rinsed and reused like new. Be sure to replace or clean your filter every month for optimal efficiency.

Update Your Thermostat

Older thermostats that use mercury can be very inaccurate. This means that you can set the temperature to what you think is adequate, but in reality the heat will exceed your desired temperature, causing you unnecessary usage of electricity. Consider updating your thermostat to a digital one to ensure accurate temperature levels. In addition, digital thermostats can be programmed so you can set your heating to go on before you wake up or return home, and automatically turned off when you leave to work so you don’t forget to turn it off.

Clean Your Heating Ducts

Your HVAC system’s heating ducts should be cleaned periodically to allow efficient heating and provide fresh, clean air. Be sure to routinely inspect your heating ducts to make sure there are no punctures, dents or disconnected parts. Damaged ducts can raise your heating bills by blowing wasted warm air. In addition, check to make sure the ducts are properly insulated so air won’t seep out of them. While you may be able to inspect your ducts on your own, if it’s difficult or you don’t know what to look for, consider contacting an HVAC contractor. In addition to your ducts, a professional can also inspect your heating system’s belts, motors and electrical switches, as well as thermostats and gas pressure.

Tips

One of the easiest ways to cut electricity costs is to make sure your home has proper insulation. In addition, ventilation is important as well. During the winter, if your home is not properly ventilated, moisture can build up. If it doesn’t have a way to escape, your roof can rot, and you’ll need to hire a roofing contractor to repair the damage.

Proper maintenance and inspection is the best way to keep your HVAC system operating as its best. If you think you may have a problem, contact Spoors Heating and Air Conditioning for an expert.

56 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this post about preparing my HVAC.I have been looking into heating and cooling beaverton or to see what I can find and what will be helpful. Can you tell me where I can find more information about this?

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    1. Greenwood Heating also covers heating and cooling repair for your home. You can call them for any application of heaters and air cooler for your home.

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  2. Proper maintenance is the key to keeping your furnace in good shape! You want to take care of these things BEFORE the snow starts coming down, so you don't have to call furnace repair Ogden professionals after everything in your house becomes a block of ice. Thanks for posting this!

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  4. Winter is here, and I'm not sure how to prepare my heating and cooling unit in St. Paul for it. I'll have to try using your advice on how to get it ready. About how long does it take?

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  5. This is some smart stuff. I'll have to make sure to get some furnace repair too. I think that would also help keep my house nice and warm. It gets cold here in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Its ridiculous sometimes.

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  6. Very useful post.I was in search for this from long time.

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  7. I knew absolutely nothing about my HVAC situation in my home, thanks to Holland Heating I still don't need to know anything. They did however teach me a little about my thermostat. I can trust them to come in do the right thing and not over charge me for doing so. It's a nice feeling to know you're not being ripped off.

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  8. Exactly, that's the way to keep you prepared before winter season comes.
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  13. Being in an area that has fairly cold winters, I absolutely love my heater. It's always upsetting when it breaks down though. Maybe someday I'll get a new heater, but the repair companies around here are going to keep my business in the meantime.

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  16. I didn't know that was how you pre-wintered your heater. That is just another thing that I am going to leave to the professionals instead of trying and doing myself. Doing things this way is so much better and will not cost you the issue of messing up on it yourself.
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  17. I am getting prepared for winter with in the next couple of weeks. Thank you are the tip about insulation. I found a whole wall in my basement that did not have any insulation. Now all I need to do is change my air filter. http://www.artsacrepairrockwalltx.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=56

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  18. With winter coming up I need to check on my heater. I want to be sure I will be warm this winter! I am sure everything will be working fine with it. If it looks a little weird I may have to call a heating contractor to come check it out.
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  19. Replacing the hvac unit may seem like a big cost right now, but i know from experience that it will save you money down the road. Alot of peoples biggest expenditures in winter months is the cost of heating the home. If you get a very effective unit then you will have less money pouring out of your pocket to keep the home warm.

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  20. This article reminded me that I really need to upgrade my thermostat, because it is in fact a mercury thermostat. I really should do a checkup on my HVAC system as the article stated. Winter is coming and it needs to be fully working.

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  21. I really appreciate all the tips on how to prepare my HVAC unit for the winter. I especially like the tip to clean the heating ducts. I have never done that, and they must be filthy. I'm sure that it would affect the efficiency of my HVAC unit. I will definitely do that.

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  22. It didn't occur to me that how well you insulate your home can make a difference in energy costs. I've always thought that it was all about getting an energy efficient heater. I suppose there's more to cutting energy costs than just having energy efficient equipment. It makes sense to insulate your home so to use your heater less.
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