How to Clean Your Home's HVAC System
Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to get your home warm-weather ready! You’ve probably already dusted off your lawn care tools, and your grilling kits are polished and at the ready. However, when you’re planning out your summer-cleaning itinerary there’s one element that often gets overlooked, and it’s an important one.
Neglecting seasonal maintenance and routine cleaning of your HVAC System can not only be detrimental to your home but to your health as well. This is because your HVAC system regulates your indoor air temperature which also affects the purity of the air in your home. It may seem like a daunting task, but in six simple steps, cleaning your HVAC system can be easily checked off your summer-cleaning itinerary.
Tips for Summer Cleaning your HVAC System
1. Turn Off your System's Power!
This may be a no-brainer for some but accessing your main system while the system is still running can be incredibly dangerous and cause electrocution. Make sure the thermostat is off and flip the breaker and fuse to ensure that no power is getting to the unit.
2. Replace Your Filters
Replacing your furnace filters is a little step that goes a long way. After a few months of use, your filters will simply be too clogged up to keep dirty air out and keep clean air circulating. Not replacing your air filters regularly can not only reduce the lifespan of your HVAC system, but can be harmful to your health, particularly if you suffer from allergies. Not all filters are created equal so make sure you know the dimensions you need before heading to the store and getting your replacements.
Remember to insert your new filter into place with the arrow on the side facing outwards, in the direction of airflow.
3. Clear Around Your HVAC Unit
Now that the outdoor temperatures are a little more bearable, you can venture to the side of your home to inspect and clean the area surrounding your HVAC Unit. Winter’s fury may have left sticks, debris, leaves, or garbage sticking out of or very close to your unit, which can easily get lodged in the fan. Take the time to clean away everything within a 2-foot radius of your unit, then go one step further and use a hose to gently wash away dirt and debris that may have built up on the condenser coil.
4. Give Your Registers and Vents some TLC.
Much like a dirty filter, a clogged, grime-filled air vent or floor register can impact how much air is getting to your HVAC system, limiting how much cool air is circulated in your home. Lift the grills off all your vents and registers and wipe them down with a damp microfiber cloth, rag, or paper towel. While vents are removed, use your vacuum hose or long-handled brush to get extra debris out of your air ducts.
5. Have Your Ducts Cleaned and Inspected
If you haven’t had your ducts professionally cleaned in the past 3-5 years, it may be time to pick up the phone and contact your trusted duct cleaning pros. Clogged or dirty ducts are hotspots for bacteria, dust mites, and other creepy crawlies that can create big issues to your system (and your health) if not dealt with early.
The best part about getting an HVAC technician to help with your summer duct cleaning is they may be able to proactively spot any other issues and deal with them now, instead of potentially having your air conditioning system conk out in the depth of a hot and sticky summer day!
6. Re-program Your Thermostat
Time to let your thermostat know that winter is behind us! But first, it’s a great idea to test your AC unit, ensuring that it is indeed ready to keep you cool when the temperature outside creeps upwards.
Turn your system to air conditioning, crank down the temperature on the thermostat, and take note of how long it takes before you start to feel cold air from your vents. If some time passes before there is any palpable change in the air temperature, it may be worth calling an HVAC professional to look at your system.
If you have a programmable thermostat, adjust your preferences in line with your schedule to help you save money and prevent your system from overworking when you’re not at home. If you’ll be out of the house at regular intervals during the week, set the temperature about 5 degrees higher during these times, then allow for an hour to get your home cooled down again before you are set to return.
If, however, you live in an older, poorly insulated home, temperature adjustments may take more energy from your HVAC system; you’re better off leaving the temperature set at a consistent point all day long.
Summer cleaning is always a big job but putting HVAC care and maintenance on your to-do list will go a long way towards keeping your house and family safe and cool. For more information on the right HVAC system for your home, or for more tips on maintenance of your HVAC system, reach out to the heating and cooling experts at Napoleon.