It's Cold Outside! Make Sure Your HVAC System Can Survive the Winter

When it's cold outside, your HVAC system may be subject to some unusual stresses, particularly if part of your heating equipment is located outside, as with a heat pump.

Here are some things to know about winterizing your HVAC system — well, not really, but at least ensuring it survives the winter OK.

Furnaces

Since most of your furnace is located indoors, it's not subject to the rigors of the weather, although simply by using it more during cold spells, it will endure greater wear and tear. That's why it's important to change the air filter regularly and to schedule preventative maintenance. A licensed HVAC tech will be able to identify problems in the early stage before they require major repairs.

Make sure your chimney or flue is in good working order. Have someone inspect it to make sure it's clear of birds' nests and that the parts have not been damaged by summer storms. Also make sure that exhaust pipes are connected and that combustion gases are being properly expelled.

Heat Pumps

Because the condenser component of the heat pump is located outside, you should have it inspected to make sure it's working right before winter is in full swing. The condenser should be in a protected location, preferably where it won't be buried in snow, and away from possible falling limbs and other debris.

As you are aware, the heat pump is designed to go into defrost mode when the temperature drops. But if it runs too long or doesn't come on often enough, it may need a repair. When this defrost feature fails, the heat pump could freeze up and become coated in ice.

Refrigerant lines and electrical wiring run from the outdoor condenser to the indoor air handler. Your HVAC tech should inspect these lines while performing winter maintenance.

If you have the type of heat pump that heats as well as cools, make sure the reverse valve works properly.

For more on winterizing your HVAC system, contact Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area with quality HVAC installations, repairs, and maintenance.

Post-Holidays HVAC Checklist

Despite all the fun that the holidays deliver, you're probably looking forward to getting your household back to normal. We'd like to help you get started, which is why we've compiled a few of our favorite post-holiday tips. Adding these to your HVAC checklist is a great way to get your household ready for the new year.

Scheduled Maintenance with an HVAC Technician

To keep your HVAC system running efficiently and prolong its operational lifespan, you should schedule inspection of the equipment once per year. If you were too busy over the holidays to get this done, then now is the perfect time to contact a qualified technician and make an appointment.

Adjust the Temperature of Your Thermostat

With all the hustle and bustle that happens over the holidays, it's quite likely that the temperature on your thermostat has been changed. Take the time to check it out and adjusted back to a comfortable setting for your household.

Check the Registers for Any Obstructions

Registers can easily be blocked by obstructions, especially over the busy holiday. Now that the festivities is over, check the registers and make sure you move anything like furniture or boxes to allow air to flow properly.

Clean or Replace Your HVAC System's Air Filter

If you run your home's heating system a lot over the holidays, then your air filter will fill up very quickly. Now's the time to check to see if it's clogged, and if it is, either clean or replace it depending on what type of filter the system uses.

Use Microfiber Cloths to Remove Dust

Items like feather dusters and even many vacuum cleaners have a tendency to spread dust around. A better alternative is to use microfiber cloths, which attract and capture the dust. Use these to clean up once your holiday festivities have ended and your home will be dust-free in no time.

For more post-holiday tips to add to your HVAC checklist or any other home comfort concerns, please reach out to the experts at Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow and the surrounding area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

10 Ways to Save Energy This Winter

The arrival of winter can put a real dent in your budget. Heating costs can send your utility bill through the roof. Fortunately, there are numerous tips you can use to enjoy energy savings this winter. They include:

1. Open the shades and curtains during the day to take advantage of the warming sunlight. Close them at night to protect your home from cold drafts.

2. If you have a fireplace with an external air intake, install an airtight door on it to prevent indoor air from escaping through the chimney. If you have a traditional fireplace that uses indoor air for combustion, install operable vents on it. Close the vents when the fireplace isn't in use.

3. Use a portable space heater to warm the room you're in and turn down the thermostat by 5 degrees or more. Every degree you turn down your thermostat by contributes to a lower energy bill.

4. Install storm windows over single pane windows to reduce heat loss.

5. Seal gaps and cracks in your doors and windows. These allow warm indoor air to escape and cold air to leak into your home.

6. Add loose-fill insulation to your attic. Heat rises, so ensuring the attic is well-insulated helps keep heat inside your home.

7. Install a programmable thermostat to avoid wasting heat. You can set it low when you're at work and increase the heat just before you return.

8. Decorate for the holiday with LED lights. They're more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. What's more, LED holiday lights last much longer.

9. Lower the water heater if you're going on vacation to reduce water heating costs. If you're planning to be away for more than two days, set it to its lowest setting.

10. Switch off and unplug the electronics that you're not using. They continue to consume electricity even when they're turned off.

Use these tips to take your winter energy savings to the next level without sacrificing comfort. For more useful energy-saving and HVAC tips, contact Air Assurance. Broken Arrow residents have trusted us to handle all their HVAC and plumbing needs since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, us at 918-217-8273.