The leaves have blown away and the fall season is over. And if your HVAC system isn’t ready for winter, it can cost you serious money.
Think of it this way: if your HVAC system fails, it can cost between $4,850 and $9,400 to replace it. Winterizing your HVAC is faster and more cost-effective.
Don’t let your heating system leave you in the cold. Here are a few tips to help you winterize your HVAC.
Shut Off and Clean Your Outdoor HVAC Unit
The first order of business is to get outdoors.
You don’t want your outdoor HVAC system to turn on randomly during a warm winter day—it can accumulate water, and when the temperature drops, the water will freeze, doing serious damage to your system in the meantime. The good news is that this is totally preventable.
All you have to do is turn off the system. That way, it won’t sense random warm days, and you don’t need to worry about wasted energy or system damage.
Did you know that 15% of energy waste is caused by dirty air filters? The same thing goes for a dirty HVAC, and you’ll see a winter’s worth of damage when you turn the system on again in spring. Do yourself a favor and clean the system while the weather is still warm. Just dust off any leaves, debris, dirt, and grime, and clear any plants within an 18-inch radius.
Cover, Seal, and Prepare Your HVAC System
Want to protect your system from snow, ice, and wind? The solution is simple: cover and seal it.
You can easily purchase heavy-duty PVC covers online, and once your outdoor system is clean, put the cover over it. That way, you don’t have to worry about creeping moisture.
While you’re at it, you should also spend some quality time with your pipes. If you’ve ever had a burst water pipe, you know how fast it can damage your system (and your entire house, for that matter). The good news is that this is also an easy fix. All you have to do is insulate your pipes—install foam insulation around pipe joints, paying careful attention to Ts and elbows to create a snug fit.
Check Your Furnace for Potential Heating Issues
Last but not least, make sure to check your furnace for potential issues before you turn it on for the season.
Your furnace shares an air handling system with your air conditioning, which means that any lurking issues in your air conditioning may come back to haunt your furnace in the winter. The easiest approach is to do furnace maintenance before you make the switch for the year. Call the pros for a complete tune-up, but you can handle basic tasks on your own, like replacing air filters.
Need to Winterize Your Heating and Cooling System?
Are you getting your HVAC system ready for winter? There’s no need to drive yourself up the walls.
Here at Sewell Electric & HVAC, we’re a full-service HVAC company for residential and commercial customers. It’s our mission to provide you with the highest quality systems and service, backed by a team of expert technicians.
If you need to prepare your HVAC system for winter (or any other time of year) get in touch today to let us know how we can help.
