Spring HVAC To Do Checklist

Now that spring is right around the corner, a spring HVAC checklist is an ideal way of preparing your home for the warmer temperatures. With some preparation and spring cleaning, you can improve your HVAC’s energy efficiency, which helps decrease your risk of expensive breakdowns.

Here’s a spring HVAC checklist you can follow:

1. Change the Air Filters
   You should be doing this regularly. When the air filters are dirty, it restricts airflow and can cause your HVAC system to work harder than it should. This reduces its energy efficiency.

2. Clean the Ducts
   Your ductwork can collect a lot of debris. Have a professional come in to inspect and clean your ducts so your family isn’t breathing in anything that’s been trapped in the ductwork. Also, a duct cleaning could alert you of other issues that you might not have been aware of, such as mold.

3. Check Refrigerant
   Your HVAC system requires the adequate amount of refrigerant. Have a professional come in and check your system’s refrigerant level, and if needed, add the manufacturer-specified operational levels of refrigerant. If any refrigerant leaking signs appear, you should have the leaks repaired before you have your system serviced for the season.

4. Clear the Area Around the HVAC System
   Storms can leave deposits of things on top of or around your HVAC system like:

Leaves
Pine needles
Dead grass
Branches
Weeds
Debris

Inspect the outdoor HVAC unit and clean around it if needed to ensure it has proper airflow.

5. Clean Your Whole House Fan
   Whole house fans move air around fast and this, like with any fan, means a great deal of dust. In addition to cleaning your HVAC system, you should also have your whole house fan cleaned regularly. This will help ensure it continues to function properly and can extend its life. Make sure you dust the fan. Just by dusting the fan off each spring season, you’ll extend the life of its motor.

Dust builds up on the blades of the fan, the fans other surfaces and its motor. When this dust builds up on the motor housing, it can cause the motor to become hot. When it gets hot, it can burn up long before it should.

Before you clean your whole house fan, be sure you shut off the supply of power to the fan. Whole house fans spin extremely fast and this can be very dangerous, therefore it’s important you cut off its power supply prior to cleaning. Using a mild household cleaner and cloth, start cleaning the fan’s parts after you remove the vent cover. Clean the motor, the fan blades (both sides) and the surrounding encasing. Then place the cover back on before you restore power.

6. Schedule a HVAC Tune-Up
   Last, but not least, schedule a check-up of your HVAC system. You can only assess so much from the outside of your HVAC system. You need a HVAC professional to come and provide your HVAC system with a tune-up. They’ll:

Check the levels of refrigerant
Inspect the mechanical components
Inspect the electrical components

It’s always a good idea to check your heating and cooling system at the start of each season. Get this spring chore down and out of the way, so you can enjoy the nicer weather when it is upon us.