Fall is an exciting time, full of changes in the weather, the temperature, and even issues around an HVAC system. As the leaves transition from green to red, there’s no better time than to carefully complete a variety of preventive forms of maintenance. Regular maintenance helps  to lengthen the lifespan of your HVAC and to keep heating and cooling issues from occurring during the colder months. These fall HVAC maintenance tips can help improve your indoor quality of life, your property, and your HVAC unit!

Check For Drafts: Drafts throughout the home indicate areas that compromise an HVAC system’s effectiveness. While a drafty home doesn’t mean there are things wrong with your HVAC unit, it does generally means that your HVAC unit will have to work a lot harder during the fall in order to keep your home heated. Fix the drafts in order to help maintain your HVAC unit working efficiently.

Replace Air Filters: Dirty air filters can spread pollutants throughout your home, lower the air quality, and even impair your HVAC unit’s ability to run efficiently. Air filters should be cleaned and replaced often in order to preserve the condition of your HVAC unit. Dirty and clogged filters minimize air flow forcing your HVAC unit to work that much harder. This affects the heating and cooling performance and shortens the lifespan of your unit.

Examine Vents: All homeowners should examine their vents at least twice a year. However, checking your vents at the start of each new season is good practice to help prevent larger repair issues in the future. Closely look over the vents and ensure that they are clean and free of dirt or mold. If they are very dirty, this can be a sign of more serious problems in your HVAC system.

Reprogram Thermostat: The average temperature changes dramatically from the summer to the fall. Therefore, a great HVAC preventative maintenance tip for the fall is to change the setting of your thermostat to better reflect current temperatures. As the days get colder and the heat of summer fades, homeowners no longer have to worry about keeping the house cool. As children return to school and the house is empty throughout the day, it’s a great idea to set the temperature lower to avoid unnecessary heating expense.

HVAC Inspection: Before winter arrives, it’s a great idea to take advantage of the good weather to have a professional HVAC inspection completed. All HVAC units should be inspected at least once a year —if not more— in order to ensure that all of the parts are functioning perfectly. An HVAC unit in good working order will have better functionality and also help with energy consumption.

The changing of the seasons is a highly opportune time to complete routine maintenance and ensure that your property is well equipped to handle the sinking temperatures. Completing these quick HVAC preventative maintenance tips around your home can truly assist in lowering energy costs and improve the lifespan of your HVAC appliances.