How to Know If Your HVAC System Is Ready for Spring
A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system can be at risk of hiding signs of long-term damage from the winter season if you don’t perform a system inspection regularly. Since your home needed higher heating output for the previous season, there may be complications that can prevent it from working properly in spring!
Thankfully, now’s the best time to give your HVAC system a look while climate conditions are relatively fair. It’s an excellent opportunity to assess any possible damages that may require professional repairs, while also giving you some valuable input whether it’s time for an upgrade.
Performing system inspections for your HVAC
Although there might not be visible damage to your home, its different components, from roofing systems to insulation, can be hiding signs of deterioration. This is why it’s necessary to go the extra mile in inspecting your home’s vulnerable areas.
Doing a system inspection for your HVAC right after winter is vital since most homeowners tend to use their systems less during the spring season. Although it’s relatively less chilly than winter, that doesn’t mean you should waste time idly until you experience performance issues with your heating and cooling.
If you want to assess if your HVAC system is working its best for springtime and the rest of the year, here are five maintenance tasks you should accomplish:
1. Change your filters for the upcoming season
The first HVAC component homeowners should check is the system’s filters. Most simple issues with performance and high energy costs can be due to a simple blocked filter!
Replacing old filters with clean new ones also keeps your home safe from contaminants in your indoors. This ensures that the air circulating your rooms is properly filtered, removing dust and other allergens from within and outside your home.
If you don’t have a replacement filter on hand, you can remove your HVAC’s current one as a sample when shopping for a new one. If you want to buy a new one online, you can check its size by looking at its label and placing an order with your local hardware supplier.
Remember that replacing filters should be done once every season—so be sure to purchase extras so you can swap it out when necessary!
2. Check your HVAC’s pipes, vents, and outside coils
After changing your filters, you need to assess any structural damage to your entire HVAC system. This requires you to look at its pipes, vents, and cooling units outdoors. Check if your condensate lines show signs of leaks coming out of your HVAC unit.
Afterwards, assess any obstructions or blockages from debris on and around your vents and registers. Keeping these components free from dust and other residues will improve your HVAC’s efficiency and ensure a clean and breathable indoor environment.
3. Inspect your home for leaks
Besides looking at your HVAC system for signs of damage, you should also inspect your home’s general condition. Any air leaks or deterioration from your insulation can cause your HVAC to deliver a higher output during winter.
Keep your eyes out for holes or gaps in your roofing systems. The weight of snow, mixed with water and debris, can put a strain on your roof—especially if you don’t clean your roof regularly after heavy snowfall.
After checking your roof for leaks and cracks, you should also assess your windows and doorways. These entryways can suffer damage from weathering that can dislodge window frames, hinges, and even door frames! This occurs due to some building materials contracting or expanding due to different weather conditions.
If you’re having issues closing or opening windows and doors, you may have small leaks and gaps that can reduce your home’s overall ventilation and insulation.
4. Reprogram your thermostat when necessary
Not all complications with your HVAC system will be noticeable through physical damage. Sometimes, it can be circuitry and transmission issues that lead to poor performance. If you had problems with your thermostat during winter, you might have deep-rooted issues with your HVAC system!
Constantly needing to adjust it due to slow temperature changes can mean that it’ll need to be reprogrammed. Besides looking at its actual performance, you can check your previous months’ bills for any odd figures in your energy usage.
If your HVAC isn’t optimizing its temperature regulation, it might be using too much or too little energy. One feature you should look for in a new HVAC system is a remote programmable thermostat. These devices connect to your Wi-Fi, making it easier for you to adjust and regulate your temperature levels easily.
5. Request a scheduled maintenance
Most homeowners generally have scheduled maintenance procedures for their HVAC systems. This usually happens at least twice a year, usually done by Autumn and Spring. This ensures that their home will have appropriate heating and cooling needs come winter and summer seasons.
After making an individual assessment of your HVAC system, you should always hire a professional contractor to take a deeper look at its different components. While you may have solved minor and surface-level issues, like filter replacement and duct cleaning, you don’t have the equipment or training to resolve more significant issues.
Besides looking for signs of damage, an HVAC contractor can also tune up your system if there are any performance issues that you have trouble with.
Conclusion
After going through the tasks above, you’ll need to consider a vital decision concerning your HVAC system. Like any appliance system, your HVAC will have a limited lifespan. This is why it’s necessary to gauge whether it simply warrants repairs or if you need to purchase an upgrade! Although buying a new unit is a more expensive endeavour, it can have a long-term impact on your maintenance expenses.
There are numerous perks to investing in a new HVAC system. For example, a more modern model could have energy-saving and automated features to reduce your monthly utility bills. Before committing to this decision, it’s best to consult with your local HVAC contractor to get a professional opinion if you should choose to keep or let go of your current HVAC system.
If you need an HVAC contractor in Toronto, ON, our team of industry experts can help. We handle air conditioning maintenance and AC repair in Toronto , providing fast and efficient solutions to our client’s heating and cooling needs. Contact us today to find out more!
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