As the seasons change throughout the year, each can bring its own specific challenges for your HVAC system. When you better understand these weather changes, you can be more effective at preventing breakdowns, increasing the lifespan of your HVAC system, and boosting its overall efficiency level. We’re going to break down these changes season by season below.
Spring
Spring is the time of year where we transition from the cold winter weather to a more warm temperature. You’ll need to change your HVAC system from heating to cooling mode. Spring is the perfect time to get professional maintenance performed on your air conditioning system. This will help ensure that it’s working in peak condition before the upcoming summer months.
The warm spring weather tends to kick up a ton of pollen and allergens into the air. If you have allergies or asthma, you know just how annoying the springtime weather is for your allergy symptoms. You’ll want to change out your HVAC air filter to ensure that it’s fresh to trap all of these unwanted airborne particles without a problem.
Summer
During the hot summertime months, there’s going to be an increased demand on your air conditioning system. It’s absolutely vital that you ensure you’re doing everything possible for your cooling system to work as efficiently as possible. The more efficiently it can operate, the less wear and tear it’s going to endure throughout the season.
You want to make sure that you’re checking the air filter on your system at least once a month and replacing it when necessary. You should be checking your outdoor condenser unit after every major storm to remove any sort of debris that gets posted up against it. Additionally, trim back any shrubbery away from the unit so that it has adequate airflow.
Furthermore, it’s important to ensure that all of your air vents are completely open and that there are no obstructions in front of them. With direct sunlight causing a massive increase in room temperature, it’s highly advisable you block out direct sunlight throughout the day. You can do this with blinds, curtains, or even a UV-resistant window film.
It’s also vital to note that when the air outside heats up, it’s capable of retaining more moisture. While every location will experience an increase in humidity with warmer temperatures, there are specific places throughout the country that can experience much worse humidity than others.
If you’re in one of these regions, your air conditioning system may struggle to remove that excess humidity from your home. This can have you overheating and turning down your thermsotat even further. Instead, you may want to invest in a whole-home dehumidification system to keep your relative humidity level in check. This will go a long way in reducing your reliance on your cooling system throughout the summer.
Fall
The temperature will start dropping in the fall, signaling that it’s time to prepare your heating system for winter. You should switch your thermostat from cooling to heating mode and place a cover over your outdoor condenser unit to protect it from rough winter weather.
It’s absolutely necessary to get professional maintenance for your heating system during the fall. This will ensure that your system is working at its peak efficiency and will go a long way toward reducing its potential risk of unexpectedly breaking down. This is also the perfect time to replace the air filter in your HVAC system.
With colder air temperatures, the air’s ability to retain moisture is going to be significantly reduced as compared to summertime. When the air gets too dry, it can lead to issues like itchy skin, sinus irritation, and even static electricity. If you find that your home regularly struggles from these problems, you may want to invest in a whole-home humidifier. This indoor air quality device can be especially helpful for family members who are more susceptible to dry air producing unfavorable asthma and allergy symptoms.
Expert HVAC Maintenance Service
Bash Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. offers expert HVAC maintenance service for Champaign, IL and the surrounding areas. We can also assist with all of your cooling, heating, ductless mini-split, heat pump, indoor air quality, sheet metal fabrication, and humidifier needs. Contact our super-friendly office staff today to get on the schedule with one of our highly skilled HVAC technicians.