When it comes to seasonal HVAC preparation, Kennett Square residents need to do everything they can to ensure their HVAC systems are ready for anything. After all, with cold, icy winters and hot, humid summers, Pennsylvania weather can go from one extreme to another in what often feels like an instant.
No one wants to get caught off guard by an unexpected breakdown or surprisingly high energy bill when the weather gets bad, but that’s exactly what can happen if you ignore your HVAC systems’ seasonal needs. So, what exactly should you be doing to get your HVAC systems ready for each season?
Everything You Need to Know About Seasonal HVAC Preparation Kennett Square
HVAC maintenance and preparation is something that should take place throughout the year. However, summer and winter conditions are, of course, vastly different, so it’s essential to make sure that you’re doing the right things to prepare for the right seasons.
From summer and winter prep to things you can do all year round, here are some essential seasonal HVAC maintenance tips PA homeowners can use to prepare their HVAC systems for every time of year.
Year Round HVAC Preparation Kennett Square
While seasonal HVAC preparation does look a lot different depending on the season, there are still a lot of things that you can and should do to prepare for every season of the year. So, if you don’t have much experience with seasonal HVAC maintenance, these year-round tasks are a great place to start.
Change Your Air Filters
Air filters are an essential component of all the most common types of heating and cooling systems, but they don’t last forever. If you don’t replace them regularly, they can get clogged, reducing efficiency and negatively impacting your home’s indoor air quality.
Most air filter manufacturers recommend changing these filters every 90 days, so this is an important part of HVAC preparation through every season of the year.
Keep Your Outdoor Condenser Units Clear of Debris
Another easy HVAC preparation tip that you can do all year round is to ensure that the area around your HVAC system’s condenser unit is clear of debris. Central air conditioning systems and heat pumps both have condensers that regulate heat and if the area around these condensers is obstructed, it can cause your HVAC system to work a lot harder than it should need to.
If you just have an air conditioner condenser, it’s only really important to do this to prepare for the summer. However, if you have a heat pump system that you use during both seasons, it’s essential to keep your condenser unit clear all year long.
Schedule a Professional HVAC Inspection and Tune-Up
The best and easiest way to take care of your seasonal HVAC needs is to schedule a professional HVAC inspection or tune-up with Chester County Fuel Oil. While there are a lot of things you can do to prepare by yourself, nothing beats the knowledge and expertise of a trusted HVAC professional.
From system cleanings and efficiency tests to routine maintenance and repairs, if you truly want to ensure that your HVAC systems are ready for anything, there’s no better option than scheduling a tune-up with Chester County Fuel Oil.
Preparing Your HVAC Systems for Summer
When spring arrives, and summer inches closer, you’ll need to start preparing your air conditioner for the harsh summer heat. So, once you’ve taken care of the basics, like changing air filters and clearing condensers, here are a few additional maintenance tasks you should do to prepare.
Clean Your Unit’s Condenser Coils
Clearing the area around your air conditioner condenser unit is one thing, but it’s just as important to clean the actual coils themselves. Dust, pollen, and other particles can all build up on AC condenser coils, preventing them from properly dissipating heat. So, if you want to ensure your air conditioner works at peak efficiency through the summer, it’s crucial that you wash these coils off in the spring.
Check Your Air Conditioner’s Refrigerant Levels
Every air conditioning system uses some sort of refrigerant, which absorbs heat inside the home and releases it outside. Without enough refrigerant, the air conditioner’s job becomes much more difficult, increasing wear and tear and reducing efficiency. Because of this, it’s also always a good idea to check your air conditioner’s refrigerant levels before it gets too hot.
Preparing Your HVAC Systems for Winter
Just like with the summer, there’s a lot more you can do to prepare your HVAC systems for winter than simply changing air filters. Chester County winters can be brutally cold, so it’s especially important to ensure everything is working properly before it gets too cold. So, once fall is in full swing, here’s everything else you should be doing to prepare.
Inspect Your Furnace
If you don’t plan on scheduling a professional inspection, you should still inspect your furnace yourself. While you may not be a certified expert, you can still check to see if the pilot light is burning properly, the burner is clean, and the furnace isn’t making any strange noises. Then, if you do notice that something isn’t quite right, you should call a professional immediately.
Double Check Insulation and Sealing
While this isn’t necessarily HVAC maintenance, checking your home’s insulation and the sealing around doors and windows can go a long way to increasing heating efficiency and reducing winter energy bills. After all, the better your home holds heat, the less your heating system will have to work, reducing wear and tear in the process.
Drafts are incredibly common, but if you notice one early, you can always get it fixed before the coldest days of the year arrive.
Contact Chester County Fuel Oil Today
Are you a Kennett Square resident looking for an HVAC company you can trust with all your seasonal HVAC maintenance needs. Give Chester County Fuel Oil a call! Their team of friendly HVAC experts is proud to be “first in customer satisfaction” and is always happy to answer questions and help you schedule an inspection or yearly tune-up.
They even offer free estimates and affordable HVAC service contracts that make seasonal maintenance a breeze. So, don’t risk leaving your HVAC systems unprepared. Call Chester County Fuel Oil and schedule your Kennett Square HVAC services today!
