The Fall HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Do you need help preparing your HVAC system for winter weather and colder temperatures? Call the HVAC professionals from Fast Air Repair at (352) 290-7968 to help you prepare for the changing seasons!

The change of seasons is always a fun and beautiful time of year. However, for many of your home systems, fluctuations in climate can significantly impact their function. HVAC systems are susceptible to changes as temperatures transition from summer heat to the year’s colder months.

Creating a comprehensive fall HVAC maintenance checklist is one of the best ways to protect your system’s functioning throughout the year. Understanding your system’s challenges as it transitions from cooling to heating cycles is crucial to maintaining its health. There are many ways to prepare your HVAC unit for this transition.

If your HVAC in Ocala experiences problems with seasonal transitions, call Fast Air Repair. Our experienced repair technicians have the knowledge and tools to resolve seasonal issues.

Why Changing Seasons Strains Your HVAC System

Many homeowners need help understanding why the changing seasons challenge their HVAC systems. Shouldn’t going from cooling to heating cycles be as simple as changing the thermostat? While this seems logical, HVAC systems are a little more complicated than that.

Think about your HVAC system like your body. If you’ve been resting for an extended period, it would be tough to sprint your fastest immediately. It would help if you had time to warm up your body to perform at high levels.

The heating and cooling functions of your HVAC system work the same way. Immediately transitioning from cooling to heating without proper maintenance and preparation can cause problems for your air conditioner, furnace, and heat exchanger. Your air conditioner requires proper care after a long summer, while gas furnaces need tune-ups before working overtime during the winter.

Fall HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Creating and performing a fall HVAC maintenance checklist is one of the best ways to prepare your system for changing seasons. Furthermore, hiring professionals to assist in these processes ensures your system gets the care it requires. Review our comprehensive fall HVAC maintenance checklist to determine what jobs are best for professionals.

Clean All Vents

One of the first and easiest things you can do to prepare your HVAC system for changing seasons is to clean the vents in your home or office. Dust accumulation in your ducts is one of the primary culprits of decreased HVAC efficiency. Not only does decreased efficiency make your utility bill more expensive, but it also forces your system to work harder.

Use a washcloth or all-purpose cleaner to clean the dust off your vents. Clearing vents has the added benefit of improving air quality and circulation.

Change Air Filters

Another essential step to prepare your system is changing all your air filters. Change your air filters twice a year, typically as seasons change. 

Serving a similar purpose to cleaning your vents, changing air filters ensures your HVAC system runs optimally. While changing your air filters might be a job you can accomplish without assistance, professionals can more easily perform this maintenance step while looking for other potential issues.

Reset Thermostats and Adjust Temperature Settings

Many homeowners don’t realize the impact their thermostats have on HVAC functioning. While many assume thermostats mainly control the temperature level of your indoor climate, they also help determine how successful your HVAC system is in achieving that temperature. Therefore, you should always align your thermostat with seasonal temperatures. 

Recalibrate your thermostat so your temperature cycles take advantage of colder temperatures outdoors. Adjusting your thermostat increases HVAC efficiency and prepares your system for transitioning seasons.

Clean Landscaping and Debris Around the Outdoor Unit

Outdoor landscaping is beautiful but doesn’t always assist our HVAC system functioning. The outdoor unit for an HVAC system requires an unobstructed flow of air to enact the cooling and heating processes. 

Nearby landscaping overgrowth, fallen branches, and debris can accumulate around your HVAC system’s outdoor unit. These obstructions limit efficiency and make it more difficult for your system to transition between seasons. 

Clean the Condensation Drain Line

Your system’s drain line is a series of PVC pipes responsible for bringing excess water runoff coming from your system away from your home. During hot and humid summers, mold and mildew can quickly build up within your drain line. Clogged drain lines lead to overflowing drip pans, which can cause expensive water damage to your home.

It’s essential to hire professionals to clear and clean drain lines during the transition from summer to fall. Drain lines are usually most clogged at this time, mandating a thorough de-clogging before fall and winter. Additionally, a clean drain line provides increased efficiency.

Consider a New HVAC System

While this may not seem like the most attractive prospect, sometimes, the best solution for your HVAC system transition is to replace it. Although many homeowners worry about the cost of replacement, a new system is often comparable to or less expensive than extensive maintenance work in the long term.

HVAC systems should function effectively for 10 to 15 years. However, if you live in a more variable climate, you may have to consider replacement earlier. Attempting to utilize an existing but failing system will likely accumulate repair costs significantly over time, eliminating the “savings” of avoiding a replacement.

Hire Professionals To Perform Seasonal Maintenance and Prepare for Fall and Winter

Hiring professionals who can perform comprehensive HVAC maintenance services is the best thing you can do to help transition your HVAC system from summer to winter. Professionals offer skill sets and tools beyond most homeowners that give HVAC systems more thorough treatment and preparation. Most professionals also offer fall HVAC maintenance checklist services unique to your region and climate.

Hire Qualified Professionals From Fast Air Repair To Perform Fall Maintenance

For more information about creating a fall HVAC maintenance checklist, or to learn more about HVAC UV lights, call Fast Air Repair at (352) 290-7968 and schedule a service consultation with our experienced repair technicians today!