Winter is underway in Franklin County, and that indicates at least one thing for certain: It’s that time . . . It’s time to rely on our home’s heating systems for comfort and safety around the clock in our home sanctuaries. It’s time to ask ourselves: Is my furnace equipped for all the difficulties that may come with another Ohio winter?
Below are some essential maintenance suggestions from the crew here at Grove City Heating & Air. These six tips will ensure you have a cozy and warm residence throughout the winter.
1. Keep Your Air Filter Fresh
Change your air filter regularly. A dirty or clogged up air filter is going to force your furnace work much harder than it should. However, if you are changing your air filter routinely, it will extend your furnace’s lifetime and reduce energy bills while at the same time promoting the quality of air inside your home.
Throughout the winter, you need to be examining your air filter every month because it is going to need to be changed at least every three months, if not more.
2. Keep Your Air Vents and Ducts Clean
Most homeowners keep their residences clean by vacuuming regularly. However, do you include your air vents every time you do so? You should.
Including your air vents when you are regularly vacuuming helps to restrict obstructions and limit indoor air quality problems. This will also help in sustaining a consistent temperature level throughout your home.
If you’ve done this and have found the job is too big for your home’s vacuum, give us a call. Utilizing a professional to do the job will go a long way in promoting air quality while maintaining a home free of airborne particles. It improves energy efficiency because that hard to reach debris and dust decreases the flow of air to and from the components of your HVAC system. Remember, your system needs to breathe.
3. Increase Insulation in Your Attic
While insulation might not seem like it’s a crucial element of your home’s heating system, it does, in fact, play a huge role.
It performs a vital function in your furnace’s overall efficiency by keeping that warm air inside. Take a look at the insulation in your home’s attic and make sure you have an adequate amount. If you don’t feel like you have enough or if you aren’t sure, call us to have one of our experienced HVAC technicians go to your home. We’d love to hear from you.
4. Check Out Your Thermostat
When is the last time you’ve put new batteries in your thermostat? Do you have your thermostat set at your winter comfort requirement? Check it out! Replace those batteries!
And while you’re at it, to save on energy, we recommend setting your thermostat at a slightly lower temperature during the night, and when you’re away at work or on vacation. Then, when you’re back home, turn it back up. To avoid having to do all that, winter is the best time to think about upgrading to a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one already. A programmable thermostat will help you maintain your preferred levels around the clock, all winter long.
5. Cover Your Outdoor AC Unit
Once the weather begins to cool, and you feel confident you won’t need it anymore, encase your outside AC. This is essential for guarding the unit against the elements while keeping the cold air out. You ought to be able to get a high quality, reasonably-priced outdoor AC unit cover at any one of your local hardware stores. It will help a great deal in preserving the AC against all the ice, snow, and debris buildup of a long Franklin County winter.
6. Regular Servicing
If you gain one thing from our “Winter HVAC Maintenance Guide,” we hope it’s this last and most vital recommendation: Don’t skimp on your furnace’s regular maintenance. It’ll cost you in the long run if you do. Each year, you should be scheduling a routine inspection/tune-up. If you have not yet had a professional come out and perform this vital bit of maintenance, right now is the time to do so! Don’t wait!
As part of a heating system tune-up, we will come out to your residence and inspect your home’s expensive heating system. Amongst a whole list of stuff, we will locate signs of wear and tear that requires consideration. An inspection will also incorporate cleaning, repairing, lubricating, and other optimizing services, so the furnace will continue at its best for a long time to come. After all, no one wants to face a furnace breakdown in the dead of winter in Ohio.
If you haven’t had an inspection yet, please give Grove City Heating & Air a call today at 614-490-7540, or schedule an appointment online now at www.grovecityheatingandair.com/schedule-now/.
We’d love to hear from you!
