3 Ways to Prepare Your HVAC System for the Change of Seasons

When summer finally nears its end and fall is peeking around the corner, there’s no better time to start preparing your home’s HVAC system for the change of seasons. During August and September in Cincinnati, you’re likely still weeks away from the cooling season ending, and perhaps a month or two out from needing to use your furnace or heat pump to warm your home.

During this time of transition, it can be helpful to do some routine HVAC system maintenance. The following steps will help prepare your home for the transition from summer to fall, cooling to heating:

#1. Check the air filter in your AC or heat pump.

Unless you’ve been inspecting and switching out the filter on a regular basis during the summer, it likely needs to be pulled out and exchanged with a fresh filter. Consider spending a little more money for a filter that’s highly rated for sifting out pollen and other tiny airborne particulates. (The price will likely be around $12 to $15 at your neighborhood hardware or home-improvement store.) Keeping a fresh filter in your AC, heat pump or furnace will help ensure the sensitive machinery is clean while improving indoor air quality for the health of your family. If your furnace blower doubles as the blower for the AC, its filter should be ready to go when the heating season starts.

#2. Consider cleaning the heat-exchange coils of your AC or heat pump.

If you *feel comfortable doing this job, clean the indoor and outdoor heat-exchange coils of your AC or heat pump. Dirt and mold can attach themselves to the coils during the long cooling season, which can slow down the transfer of heat energy that’s at the heart of the cooling process (and, if you have a heat pump, the heating process, too). Dirty coils can also erode indoor air quality and provide an inviting place for mold growth. If dirt and grime are left on the coils through the winter, that will increase the risk of a leak developing in the refrigerant lines. And, if you use your heat pump for both cooling and heating, this step is all the more important. *While we know there are a lot of DIY’ers out there, we don’t advise home owners to do this work on their own as it can lead to damage of components. Always best to leave this work to the HVAC professionals.

#3. Don’t forget the condensation drainage system.

If it’s accessible to you, check the pan under your AC where condensation collects before it’s drained outside of the house via a condensation line. Mold and mildew can collect in this dark and damp area, creating an unhealthy environment. Clean the pan and inspect what you can see of the line to make sure it’s not leaking. You should also check to see if it’s draining outside, since any sort of clogging can result in a backed-up pipe and flooding inside the house. More than one room has been ruined by an AC’s leaking condensation drainage system. If there is a clogged line and a backup, you should be able to tell at the start of the drainage line.

Save Yourself the Trouble and Get a Pro

Of course, you may be able to do some of the above, but it’s much easier (and safer) to hire a trusted HVAC technician to come to your home and perform preventative maintenance on your HVAC system. When you hire a Cincinnati HVAC company to check on your system, it means less effort for you and more long-term home safety and energy efficiency.

The technician can inspect the AC, clean the coils, check the refrigerant lines, and make sure the condensation drain is OK. The end of summer is an ideal time for the technician to perform professional maintenance on your heating system as well. (And if you use a heat pump for both heating and cooling, the technician will be checking both anyway.) If you use a combustion furnace for heating your home, it’s essential to have it inspected and maintained at the beginning of each heating season to ensure comfort, energy efficiency and safety.

Choose your heating and cooling contractor carefully, with an eye toward a locally owned Cincinnati HVAC repair company with a long reputation for exemplary work.