Now that it is officially summer, you must be experiencing the cruel summer heat and humidity. With no way to escape it but your own home, it’s important to properly prep your HVAC system this summer. Not doing so can result in some long, hot summer nights. Did you remember what you did last summer to get your system ready? Don’t worry, read on to learn about the steps that you can take to prep your HVAC system this summer.
Inspect the Filter, Vents, and Ductwork
Before you switch over your HVAC system from hot to cold, you want to make sure that your filters and vents are clean, and your ductwork is free of any debris (check out 4 reasons to have your ducts cleaned here). Any debris blocking your vents or ducts will prevent your system from operating efficiently, providing poor cooling and costing your extra money. If your filters and vents are full of dust, be sure to have them professionally cleaned. If you leave them dirty, your system will be circulating unfiltered air throughout your home. This can affect your health, possibly leading to respiratory issues. Be sure not to skip this step, as it can have a negative impact on the performance of your system in the summer.
Inspect the Exterior
If you have a split system HVAC, a majority of your system runs through the interior of your home, but the main component sits outside of your home. Before you start up your system this summer, be sure to get the exterior of your system thoroughly inspected. During inspection, things to look out for include removing a winter cover, clearing any debris around the fan, and looking for any damage to the systems exterior and interior wires. Possible damage may have been caused by an animal or harsh weather during the winter. If it goes unnoticed, it will have an impact on your system’s efficiency and may cause it to not run at all.
Routine Maintenance
If you haven’t kept up with your routine maintenance throughout the year, be sure to schedule an annual maintenance check before the summer to ensure your system is ready to go. An HVAC specialist has the knowledge and experience to check that your system is running properly. Having a routine check will avoid any further damage to your system and bring you AC right at the start of the summer, rather than the end (or none at all).
Reliance Home Comfort, a HomeStars Best of Awards and Best of the Best Award winner (learn more about these awards here), can help you with all of your HVAC needs. From regular maintenance to emergency repairs, they have a team of specialists to get your system back up and running. Plus they offer resources to educate homeowners about available HVAC rebate programs. Check out their HomeStars profile here to read reviews from past customers and to submit a quote request.
Upgrade your System
If it so happens that your system isn’t functioning properly during your own initial test, or the pro that you hired for your routine inspection is advising that you should upgrade, you should upgrade your system. Running an outdated system or even an inefficient system can only lead to more problems in the future. For one, you won’t have reliable AC throughout the summer. Secondly, running a system that doesn’t work is a complete waste of money. Not only are you wasting money on using the system with no benefit, but you’re most likely going to have to spend more money to repair it over and over again. And lastly, running an outdated system could be dangerous for your home and family.
There’s no need to worry about how to keep your house cool in the summer. With proper prep, your HVAC system will be ready for the summer heat. For best results and advice, hire a professional for a routine annual maintenance check. If you haven’t done so already, get connected with a pro in your area today. Before you do, check out HomeStars’ Deals & Offers in Toronto here.
