Tips to Prepare Your HVAC System for Summer

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Heather Jones
Heather Jones
I'm Heather, an author passionate about home improvements. My writing is your guide to making homes better. Let's explore easy ways to enhance your living spaces, from small fixes to exciting projects. Join me on a journey of making your house a cozy and stylish haven.

The summer months are a good time to enjoy your favorite outdoor activity, whether playing an outdoor sport, going for a walk, or swimming. However, there are times when the weather can get too hot and humid, requiring you to spend some time indoors to cool off. Whether dry or humid, heat waves during summer can threaten your health. The summer heat can get you sweating excessively, making you dehydrated.

Scheduling an HVAC service appointment can help to ensure your heating and cooling system is functioning well. During the hotter summer months, the last thing you’d want is a malfunctioning or broken HVAC unit. Not only can the inside of your home be uncomfortable, but you may end up incurring costly repairs to get your unit up and running again. Here are a few tips to help prepare your HVAC system for summer air conditioning:

1. Check Your Filter

Your HVAC unit’s air filters play an important role in keeping your indoor air clean. Over time, your filters accumulate dust and debris, affecting your unit’s efficiency in cooling your home. You should always check the condition of your filters before running your air conditioner. Depending on how often you use your HVAC system, you’ll need to clean or replace the air filters regularly. This is especially crucial during the hotter summer months.

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Typically, you may need to change or clean the filters every 30 days. It’s also recommended to change or clean the filters at least once a month if you smoke, have pets, or have allergies. Check the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of your filters to determine how often to change or clean them.

If your filters have a MERV rating between 10 and 12, you need to change them every 60 days and after every 90 days of use for filters with a rating between 6 and 9 MERV. Cleaning or replacing your air filters beforehand can help ensure your HVAC system efficiently cools your home throughout the summer months.

2. Check for Air Flow Leaks and Obstructions

Leaks or obstructions in your unit’s ductwork can reduce airflow. Inspect the ducts and connectors for any damages or loose spots. Vacuum to get rid of dirt, dust, and debris accumulated within the air ducts. This will prevent pet hair and dust buildup from the previous season in your air vents, ensuring your HVAC unit works as efficiently as possible in the summer. Have an HVAC technician conduct an energy audit to ensure the ductwork is in good condition before cleaning.

Check the blower components because your HVAC’s efficiency can reduce by nearly 15% when they aren’t adjusted well. Ensure your system is properly adjusted once you’ve cleaned the ducts. Inspect your home’s walls, windows, and doors for leaks and cracks that let warm drafts in and cool air out. Close your fireplaces’ damper to prevent cool air from getting out through it, to improve your unit’s airflow as well as boost the indoor air quality of your home.

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3. Ensure That Outdoor Areas Are Clear

According to Furnace Repair Brampton, another great way to prepare your HVAC system for summer is by clearing the outdoor area near your AC unit. Having debris covering your unit’s condenser can cause overheating and reduce its lifespan. Check and clear away any dirt, debris, and plant matter, such as twigs and leaves near the outdoor unit. The best way is to clear about two feet of space around your outdoor unit.

Clean around the evaporator and air conditioning coils to reduce the chance of debris getting inside and causing problems. Regularly clean the condenser and coils since dirty coils can reduce your heating and cooling system’s efficiency in summer, raising your home’s energy costs. 

4. Test the Thermostat

Thermostats need regular testing to ensure they are working properly before every new cooling or heating cycle. Test your thermostat controls and if you have a reprogrammable thermostat, consider reprogramming it for the warmer summer months. If your HVAC system doesn’t include a reprogrammable thermostat, consider upgrading.

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With a programmable thermostat, you can program your HVAC to different temperature settings throughout the day, ensuring efficient energy use for summer air conditioning. A smart thermostat allows you to turn on your HVAC from your smartphone remotely. That will enable you only to run your system when you’re at home, preventing energy wastage. You can turn on your air conditioning unit before you get home, so you find your home already cool and comfortable.

5. Change Your HVAC Unit’s Batteries

Apart from reprogramming and upgrading your thermostat, you need to change your unit’s batteries. When your thermostat batteries are dead, you cannot turn on or adjust your air conditioning when it gets too hot outside. Batteries are also important for hard-wired air conditioning units since they help keep your thermostat settings intact during an outage. This saves you the hassle of reprogramming it whenever the power goes out.

Check your unit’s manual to determine the proper batteries to install. Typically, batteries should be replaced about once a year. However, it’s always advisable to put fresh ones at the beginning of the air conditioning season. Changing your thermostat batteries is quite easy, since you don’t need any special training or tools. You only need a screwdriver for opening the battery compartment.

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6. Schedule a Tune-Up

Scheduling an HVAC tune-up at the end of spring is a great way to ensure your system is ready for the summer heat. Waiting until summer to have your heating and cooling system tuned up can be problematic, and you may suffer from the summer heat. That’s because that’s when the real rush begins, and most technicians are often overloaded.

Be sure to schedule a tune-up in the early summer months. During the tune-up, the HVAC technician will test the working of your unit, repair or replace any damaged parts, and clean it. This will help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently, keeping your home cool and comfortable during the summer months while reducing your energy costs. Regular maintenance can also help increase your HVAC’s life expectancy,

Endnote

A heating and cooling system can use up to 30% more energy if not maintained during the heavy-use season. Preparing your HVAC unit for summer can ensure proper air conditioning of your home throughout the summer months. It also helps ensure your unit works efficiently, reducing your utility bills.

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