As autumn ushers in cooler temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about switching over from air conditioning to heating. While you don’t need to be an HVAC expert to do it, it’s a little more involved than just flipping your thermostat over to “heat.”
Here are 5 things you should remember to do when transitioning from cooling in the summer to heating for the winter and how to get experienced HVAC help.
1. Change Your Air Filter & Clean Your System
The last thing you want to do is turn on your heating system after months of collecting dust and debris without cleaning it first. The burning smell that most people notice when they turn on their heat for the first time in the winter is all that dust burning off – so even if you can’t see it, it’s definitely still there.
If you didn’t have a deep clean done during the summer, you should have it done before winter. Hire a professional to make sure the job is done thoroughly for the type of heating system you have. Then, replace your air filter and continue changing it out about every month or as recommended by your HVAC technician.
2. Test the Heat
Always test your heating system well before you actually need it. You don’t want to end up turning your heat on for the first time on a frigid night only to find out that something has gone wrong over the summer and you can’t get the help you need quickly enough to stay warm.
Instead, turn the heat on for several minutes on a cool-but-not-cold day when the temperature is expected to rise again before the final chill sets in. Then, if your heating doesn’t work, you have time to troubleshoot the issue or hire a technician before you actually need your heating to perform.
3. Bust Out the Humidifiers
Cooler air holds less moisture, so winter air is naturally much drier than outdoor air in the summer. This can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and dry lips or nostrils. You can’t control the humidity outside, but you can boost the quality of the air inside your home by using portable humidifiers.
If you have them in storage, now is the time to break them out and get them plugged in and set up for the winter. You’ll want to keep them filled and on most of the time, or according to your comfort levels. If you don’t have humidifiers, you should purchase at least one or two depending on the size of your living space.
Home humidifiers are typically available at any Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, and other home health retail outlets. Most models range from $20 to $50 on average and hold enough water to humidify the air for about a day. If you are very sensitive to dry winter air, you may want to get a large or a whole home humidifier that is designed to be operated at a high capacity.
4. Set or Program Your Thermostat
Set or program your thermostat to the ideal temperature in your home. You can turn it down a few degrees at night when you’re sleeping or when you are away from home to save energy, but don’t turn the system too far down or all the way off. This will end up using more energy in the long run.
5. Try Not to Toggle Your System Between Heating and Cooling
It’s tempting to turn your air conditioner back on when the weather starts to fluctuate in late summer and early fall. But this can actually cause your system to work harder and result in undue wear and tear over time.
Instead, look at the weather forecast for your area and choose a day to switch your heating or cooling over. If you need to use space heaters at night until temperatures drop during the day, this can be an option.
Ductless mini splits are ideal to have in areas where temperatures fluctuate a lot in the spring and fall. You can switch the same system over from heating to cooling and back over to heating again without causing excessive strain to the equipment.
Bring In a Professional From Jones Services Today
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