Blog

Spring’s arrival, for many, brings with it an urge to refresh and renew around the house. This spring cleaning, as we’ve come to call it, most often involves a thorough look around the home for any sort of dirt and disorganization that’s accumulated and been left alone during fall and winter.

And while there are many, many suggested spring cleaning lists out there that cover every square inch of your home and outdoor property, not enough of them include home heating and cooling systems. Sometimes, HVAC gets left off entirely.

This is a huge mistake. Temperatures in our neck of the woods here in Northwest Iowa are known to fluctuate drastically, especially in early spring. This means your HVAC system could get quite the workout. Plus, you will want to make sure the air conditioning works as needed before summer gets here.

So, with that in mind, here is why home HVAC and related issues must be addressed this time of year.

How are your furnace and air conditioning filters?

We’ll start with an easy task. As you would every month, or however often is suggested by your filter’s manufacturer, check the condition of furnace and air conditioning filters.

A dirty filter is the top cause of HVAC system failure. When the filter gets dirty, it restricts air flow into the HVAC system. That restriction puts more strain on the air handler fan motor. If left unaddressed, this could lead to a burnt out motor, which will lead to overheating and eventual system failure.

Dirty filters also cause heating and cooling systems to work much harder, decreasing efficiency and increasing utility bills.

Finally, a dirty air filter will only make other to-do items on your spring cleaning list that much harder, as it will make ducts, grills, registers, walls and floors dirtier. If you see more dust around the house where there are grills and registers, then a dirty filter may be to blame.

If you want your next air filter to deliver even better efficiency, then buy a pleated air filter that’s been rated for high-efficiency.

Look at outdoor AC units

There are a few things that even homeowners can do regarding their outdoor AC units. Now, some tasks are better left to the pros.

But here some minor tasks to consider taking care of when spring rolls around, as shared by House Logic:

1. Be sure AC units located outside are cleared free of leaves, pollen, grass and other debris.
2. Every month, inspect refrigerant lines.
3. Check to make sure the AC unit is on solid, level ground.
4. Clear the AC condensate drain with a mixture of bleach and water.

One last part of the outdoor AC unit to check is the drainage hole. This hole needs to be kept clear in order for the air conditioner to work as efficiently as possible. The hole is located at the AC unit cabinet base beneath the unit’s evaporator fins. Use a paper clip or small piece of wire to clear out the hole.

An experienced, local HVAC tech can take care of these things for you by scheduling an appointment. We’ll get to why that needs to be done annually at the end of this post.

Take care of business in the bathroom

Let’s switch things up and talk about what you can do in the bathroom to address HVAC and plumbing. HGTV has some excellent items to throw on your spring cleaning list that pertain specifically to one of the most important rooms in the house.

Begin with making sure you have cleaned your bathroom fans within the past year. If not, then get that done. To do so, simply take off the cover, wash with soapy water and carefully clean the fan blades. HGTV recommends a toothbrush to get this job done - after checking that power is off!

Next, look at the flappers on toilets. If they have been leaking or look like they could begin to, then you can cut down on potential wasted water by replacing them.

Consider installing a smart thermostat

New season, new thermostat? Now may be the time to think a little more about it. Consider installing a smart thermostat in your home so you can better control energy use.

Smart thermostats let users program temperatures based on time of day. This way, you can have your house be cooler or warmer - whatever is more comfortable for you - when you are home. Smart thermostats also let you know how much energy is being used, which you can monitor in order to keep monthly energy bills as low as possible.

Some smart thermostat brands, such as Honeywell Home’s can connect to home WiFi and can then be controlled via an app.

This is even more helpful when temperatures may fluctuate a lot, such as they are known to do in spring.

Get home HVAC checked regularly

Scheduling a regular service appointment for home heating and cooling needs is a great habit to get into. Have your home’s HVAC system checked every season. This can prevent possible repairs for skyrocketing in cost and help keep energy use efficient throughout the home.

With summer approaching faster than it may seem, spring is a perfect time to have your air conditioner unit serviced. An experienced technician will give a closer look to coils, ducts and your filter to make sure all is working as it should. This will give you peace of mind knowing that it will kick on as soon as you need it.

Spring also is a great time to have your furnace looked at. It may have been through a lot this past winter. An HVAC professional can identify any potential issues that won’t be left to sit - and possibly get worse - until later in the year.

Contact Comfortec for spring heating, cooling and plumbing needs

Give our expert HVAC techs at Comfortec a call toll free 888-362-2106 to schedule an appointment for your home’s HVAC system this spring. We are also reachable through this easy online contact form.