HVAC Maintenance Should Be Added to Any Spring Cleaning Checklist

With winter receding in the rearview mirror, don’t forget to include your home’s HVAC system in your list of spring cleaning tasks. A well-maintained heating and cooling system – clean, tuned up and ready to go – will operate more efficiently and economically, while providing optimum comfort in your home. This means both DIY homeowner maintenance steps and professional preventative maintenance.

Spring Cleaning Steps for Your HVAC System

• Inspect the air filter in your forced-air HVAC system (if that’s what you use). The air filter slot should be located where the ductwork connects with the AC or heat pump air handler or the furnace. If the filter is coated in dust and debris, replace it with a fresh one (or clean it if it’s a reusable filter). Make sure you check the filter at least monthly, changing it each time it looks clogged with dirt and dust. A clean filter will allow for smooth airflow in your HVAC system, minimizing wear on parts, saving energy, and providing balanced circulation. It also will help clean the air better than if the filter is dirty.

• Police the area around the outside unit of your split-system AC or heat pump. Over the winter, leaves and storm debris can accumulate in the yard, and may block essential air flow to the outside compressor/condenser unit. Similarly, make sure nothing (the usual culprit is leaves) is blocking the PVC pipes that allow for air intake and outtake between your furnace and the outside. Other outdoor tasks that should be done in the spring include clearing rain gutters of dead leaves, shingle deterioration and other debris that collects over the winter; and using a garden hose to spray the coils in the outside unit.

• If your home has ceiling fans, use a step ladder to climb up and clean the dust off of fan blades. You may be able to use a long-handled soft-bristle broom to do this from the floor. If those fan blades aren’t kept clean, you’ll have small bits of dust wafting around the room whenever you turn on the fan. This is the right time to switch the fan back to its default warm-weather fan rotation setting (counter-clockwise/downward). (Some homeowners adjust the rotation to clockwise/upward during the winter months, to help redistribute warm air that rises to the top of the room.)

• Check windows and doors for air leaks that may have developed over the winter. For example, weather-stripping on doors may have lost its adhesiveness during temperature swings in the winter. It’s just as important to have an airtight home envelope in the summer as it is in the winter.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

While the aforementioned do-it-yourself steps are essential for a well-operating heating and cooling system, professional maintenance is even more important. There’s only so much that a well-meaning homeowner can do to optimize a high-tech HVAC system. Most experts recommend two preventative maintenance visits per year, one for the heating system in the fall and one for the cooling system in the spring.

A trusted HVAC contractor will come to your home and carefully run through a checklist of maintenance steps, with the end goal of maximizing performance, efficiency and safety. This involves cleaning and adjusting equipment, checking electrical connections, and adjusting airflow, among other essential steps.

In the spring, of course, the main attention will be devoted to your cooling system, whether it’s a central air conditioner or heat pump. Among other things, this will involve making sure the heat-exchange coils aren’t dirty or otherwise needing attention, checking the refrigerant/coolant level, and inspecting the condensate drainage set-up, to avoid blockages and water leaks.

This maintenance visit also may include an inspection of your air circulation system – the blower motor (which likely was inspected as part of the main checklist) and ductwork.

Consider signing up for the maintenance club offered by your preferred Cincinnati HVAC contractor. They’ll alert you twice a year that it’s time for seasonal HVAC maintenance and schedule an appointment at your convenience. Discounts are typically offered when you’re signed up for this program. Membership also ensures that any requirements of warranties on your HVAC equipment will be met.