The winter weather in New Caney, TX, isn’t bitter cold. But it gets cold enough to need your furnace.
In January, the average low is 43.5°F. in this city. So you’ll need heat.
You can ensure you have heat when you need it through the proper winter HVAC maintenance steps. If you fail to maintain your furnace, you might freeze.
So here are five winter maintenance tips every New Caney homeowner should follow.
1. Maintain the Air Vents
A forced air furnace sends heat throughout a home through an air duct system. This system contains two vital components.
First, it has ducts running to vents in each room. These vents deliver warm air to heat a home.
The second component is the return air vent system. This system sends stagnant air to the furnace. The furnace then heats this air.
Performing winter maintenance on these components ensures proper and even heat.
The first thing to do is to remove obstacles covering the vents. Go through each room, removing items blocking the vents. The vents can’t deliver heat to your rooms if obstacles block the vents.
Secondly, clean the air vents. Your air vents tend to collect germs and bacteria. As a result, your home’s indoor air quality might suffer.
You can clean the vents and return air ducts by vacuuming them. However, you’ll need to hire professionals to clean the internal parts. After cleaning them, your home’s indoor air will be safer to breathe.
2. Change the Furnace Filter
Every furnace has a filter, which cleans the air it receives. Unfortunately, the filter gets dirty as it collects debris. So you must change this filter.
Like many homeowners, you might wonder when to replace your filter. Some homeowners replace their filters monthly out of habit. Others replace theirs quarterly or bimonthly.
You can base your decision on how dirty your filter is. For example, check it on the first day of each month. Then, you can decide if you need a new one.
If the filter isn’t dirty yet, wait another month. If it is dirty, replace it.
Changing the filter is a routine step in every furnace maintenance guide. You should do this for several reasons:
Keeps the Furnace Clean
Removing dirt from the air before it reaches the furnace keeps the furnace clean. A dirty filter allows dirt to get inside the system. Dirt and debris in the system add strain to the furnace.
Thus, keeping the filter clean protects the furnace. As a result, your furnace runs more efficiently and might last longer.
Controls the Airflow
Next, a dirty filter restricts airflow to the furnace. Unfortunately, the furnace needs enough airflow to heat your home. Thus, changing the filter ensures your furnace has enough air to keep you warm.
Improves Indoor Air Quality
Additionally, your furnace filter assists with keeping your indoor air clean. A clean filter removes impurities from the air. Thus, the furnace sends cleaner air throughout your house.
3. Get Routine Inspections
HVAC maintenance helps your system run more efficiently and last longer. It also prevents outages. As a result, homeowners get routine HVAC inspections annually.
Some HVAC companies call these tune-ups. Others call them annual inspections. In either case, it includes multiple steps:
Cleaning
First, an HVAC technician cleans the system. A furnace still gets dirty if you change the filters routinely.
The dirt that enters the system might prevent it from functioning properly. It also causes parts to wear out. Cleaning helps the system run efficiently and extends its useful life.
Examination
HVAC technicians also examine and test every component. The purpose is to find potential problems.
Furnace Repairs
If they find problems, they will repair them. Repairing minor problems can prevent major issues and outages.
4. Check Your Thermostat
Your furnace relies on your thermostat to know when to run. But this process doesn’t work well when the thermostat has issues. As a result, check your thermostat once or twice a year.
A thermostat might need to be recalibrated if it’s not running properly. For example, the calibration is probably off if the thermostat reads the wrong temperature.
HVAC companies can check thermostats and recalibrate them. They might also suggest replacing a thermostat if it’s not working correctly.
You might also consider upgrading to a smart or programmable thermostat. These devices help you save money on energy costs and stay more comfortable while at home.
For example, a programmable thermostat adjusts according to your schedule. But you must program it. When you do this properly, your system will run less without manually adjusting it each day.
A smart thermostat lets you adjust the temperature with your phone. So you can turn your heat down when you’re not home.
5. Reduce Temperature Loss
Most homes have leaks that allow air to escape. Many homes also have products that cause excessive heat loss. As a result, maintaining your HVAC system also requires addressing areas of heat loss.
For example, do you have cracks or openings around your exterior doors? If so, stop the heat loss by filling in the openings. Unfortunately, you might also lose too much heat through your windows or other openings.
Addressing these areas can help you minimize heat loss. The result is lower energy bills and a more comfortable temperature in your home.
You can ask an HVAC technician to discover areas in your home to evaluate.
Finally, make sure you get HVAC repairs when you need them. Procrastinating or ignoring the problems won’t make them go away. They’ll only worsen if left unaddressed.
Follow These Winter HVAC Maintenance Tips
Your furnace will run better with the proper winter HVAC maintenance tips. So make sure you hire an HVAC company for help. They can perform these steps and others.
Contact us at Guy’s Air Conditioning and Heating for help with your HVAC system. We offer maintenance and repair services in New Caney and surrounding areas.
