Quick Steps for a Comfortable Winter
Are you a winter person or a summer person? Do you prefer the hustle and bustle of the holidays around Longview, TX or long days in the sun?
However you feel about winter, you can definitely appreciate a cozy house to retreat to. Ensure your home is warm without any nasty surprises from your furnace or heat pump by using this handy HVAC maintenance checklist from Alco Air Heating and Cooling.
✔ Begin With Fresh Air
The temperature of your home doesn’t mean anything in regards to comfort if your indoor air quality is compromised. Part of the job of your furnace filter is to improve your indoor air quality, so change it if it’s over a few months old. If you have many pets or have occupants with allergies, you can change the filter monthly for a better result.
Pro Tip: Filters with higher MERV ratings will catch smaller particles. A rating of 16 is as high as a filter will go for residential use.
✔ Clear Around Your Outside Unit
If you have a heat pump it has an outside unit. Take a quick walk around the outdoor unit and remove any obstructions. Anything in the way can block proper ventilation, putting strain on your system and causing problems.
Pro Tip: If debris is a problem around your heat pump, a small gate or pebbled area around it is an attractive way to tackle the issue.
✔ Schedule Professional Maintenance
Heating maintenance is the best thing you can do to prolong the life of your system. It will help you stay warmer and safer in fall and winter by:
- Raising efficiency
- Reducing the risk of equipment failure
- Reducing dangerous malfunctions