6 Tasks on Your Fall Checklist to Improve Your Home’s Heating Efficiency and Air Quality
Harvest décor is back in vogue, and pumpkin spice is back on the menu. You know what it means—it’s officially fall! Don’t forget to cross these items off your fall checklist while drinking apple cider, planning trips to a corn maze, and planning Thanksgiving dinner. Your heating system will benefit from some fall traditions, too.
Your Fall Checklist:
It’s essential to be prepared to transition from AC to heating as the weather cools down. When this list is done, you will be able to sleep comfortably, knowing that your home’s air is free of contaminants, and be confident that your heater is ready for the winter.
Before the last leaf falls, cross these things off your fall checklist.
1. Replace Your Air Filter
Ideally, you should replace your air filters every three to four months. Changing your filter is especially important if you have allergies, carpets, or pets. Air filters can quickly become clogged with pet hair, and dirty air filters can worsen allergy symptoms. If you haven’t already, take some time to look at the many kinds of air filters available if you or someone in your household suffers from allergies.
2. Test your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors.
You should test these safety devices once a month, but as we spend more time indoors and start running the heating system, it becomes more vital to do so. Everyone enjoys lighting candles with fall scents and sitting by the fireplace when the weather cools off, so having a working smoke detector is crucial.
Due to the odorless nature of carbon monoxide, it is important to have a functioning alarm to alert you when it is present in the home. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector this fall if you don’t have one. Over 100,000 people are hospitalized annually as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the CDC.
3. Schedule Your Annual Heating Tune-Up
A yearly heating maintenance check can increase the effectiveness of your heater and improve the air quality in your house while reducing the likelihood of other HVAC problems, such as gas smells and clogged condensate lines. You can schedule your heating maintenance check by booking with us online today. We offer a Comfort Club Maintenance Program that includes a heating maintenance check during the fall/winter and a cooling maintenance check in the spring/summer as well as priority scheduling, 15% off repairs, and 15% off IAQ products and accessories.
4. Dust Your Home
Although dusting is associated with the spring, remember that dirt and dust can accumulate throughout the warmer months, particularly if you have dogs or children who are frequently in and out of the house and if you open the windows often. Before you shut your windows and doors for the winter, enjoy the pleasant weather and dust your home. Beat your throw cushions and rugs outside.
5. Monitor the Humidity in Your Home
It has been a humid summer, and since this winter is an El Niño winter, it may stay humid. So, understanding how the change in seasons will affect your home’s humidity is a big item on your fall checklist. It’s also important to consider that the type of heating system you have may increase or decrease the humidity in your home. So take note. Low humidity can dry your wood flooring and exacerbate dry skin and eyes. In contrast, high humidity can make your home feel stuffy and aggravate asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Talk to your technician about the options available to control humidity in your home.
6. Trim the Shrubs Around Your Outside Air Conditioner
Although you might not consider the shrubs surrounding your air condenser an issue, leaving sufficient space allows easier access and improves the system’s effectiveness. During the fall and winter, the vegetation surrounding your outdoor unit may draw pests when temperatures drop. Additionally, the foliage surrounding your unit may impede its ability to circulate air properly.
Even though we rely less on our HVAC systems in the fall and spring due to the mild weather, they continue to ventilate our homes so we can breathe easy and have fresh, clean air all year. So take advantage of the mild weather and check off the items on our fall checklist to have a smooth transition from the cooling to the heating season.
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