Winter in Mercer County, NJ, brings frigid temperatures, often dropping to single digits with wind and snow. During these cold months, a reliable HVAC system is essential for keeping your home comfortable and safe. Scheduling routine maintenance before winter ensures your HVAC system runs efficiently, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to enjoy a warm, cozy home no matter how harsh the weather outside.
Benefits of Routine Tune-Ups
When we come to your home for a maintenance appointment, our goal is to spot any issues that are present. We address minor issues that may develop into major problems, resulting in an expensive emergency breakdown in the middle of winter.
Scheduling routine maintenance for your heating system and AC can also prolong the life of your heating and cooling equipment. Homeowners who stay on top of this maintenance tend to need fewer repairs and don’t need to replace their systems as often. Additionally, routine maintenance can help you save money on your monthly energy bills. Wear and tear can lead to a strained system that uses more energy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
Annual maintenance will also protect your heating system’s warranty. Many warranties require that you schedule regular tune-ups to keep your coverage valid. Attempting DIY maintenance on your heating system could void the warranty altogether. Additionally, if you ever need a major repair, you’ll likely need proof that a professional has maintained your heater. Be sure to keep the receipts and documentation provided by your technician after each appointment.
What’s Included in Winter HVAC Maintenance
During your winter HVAC maintenance, we perform several essential tasks to ensure your system is in top condition.
Saftey Inspection
Our technician will inspect your system’s safety features during your annual tune-up, including the limit and pressure switches. The limit switch shuts down your system if your furnace overheats to prevent fire hazards. Alternatively, the pressure switch turns off your furnace if it detects restricted airflow in your flue. This prevents exhaust gasses from entering your home.
Your heating system’s safety check also includes inspecting the heat exchanger. It must be functional and intact to prevent carbon monoxide from leaking into your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can be deadly when exposure levels are high enough. Unfortunately, a cracked heat exchanger may not be repairable and is expensive to replace. Our technician can advise you on your next steps if you have an older system. It may make more financial sense to consider upgrading your heater rather than replacing the heat exchanger. This is usually the case if replacing this component will cost more than half of what a new system would.
Calibrating Your Thermostat
Your thermostat helps control your entire HVAC system. If anything is wrong with how your thermostat is reading your indoor temperature, this can cause your system to run too frequently or not enough. You may also notice hot or cold spots in your home. You can ask our technician to test your thermostat during a maintenance visit. Sometimes, a simple calibration is all that’s needed to remedy the problem. They can also check your thermostat’s wiring to ensure it signals your heating system to turn on and off when it should.
If you have an older thermostat, our technician may recommend an upgrade. The Department of Energy suggests that upgrading to a smart thermostat can save you up to 10% annually on heating and cooling costs by allowing more precise control over your home’s temperature settings.
Spotting Damage
Heating systems typically last between 15 and 25 years, but this lifespan can be significantly shorter without regular maintenance. During each annual inspection, our professional will check for signs of damage. Addressing minor issues like faulty electrical connections, worn fan blades, or motor problems early on can help you avoid costly repairs down the road.
Cleaning Interior Components
Dust, dirt, and other debris accumulate throughout the year inside your HVAC system. This buildup can collect on components such as fan blades, coils, air filters, and electrical connections. During maintenance, our technician thoroughly cleans these parts to protect your HVAC equipment from damage and inefficiency. Regular cleaning helps your system run more smoothly and improves indoor air quality by reducing the airborne contaminants circulated throughout your home.
Scheduling Winter Maintenance
We recommend that you schedule your winter HVAC maintenance and inspection in the later summer months or during the fall. This gives our technician the opportunity to catch any significant problems early and schedule a follow-up appointment for repair before cold weather hits.
Considering a Maintenance Agreement
Scheduling routine HVAC maintenance prior to winter can save you a lot of money throughout the rest of the year. You can save even more by signing up for a maintenance agreement with an HVAC team that you trust. These agreements generally include two maintenance appointments per year. You may also receive discounts on repairs when you sign up for a membership.
Change Your HVAC Air Filter Between Tune-ups
Your heating system’s air filter prevents debris from entering your heater and causing damage to its internal components. It also plays a significant role in maintaining indoor air quality by capturing airborne pollutants that would otherwise recirculate through your home. However, a clogged filter can impede proper airflow through your system. This can cause many issues, incuding making your heating system work harder to keep your home comfortable.
Experts recommend replacing your HVAC system’s filter at least every 90 days as an essential part of heating system maintenance. However, this time frame can be impacted by several factors. If you have pets, your system is running more than usual due to a cold snap, or you have guests over for the holidays, you may need to change yours out more often. Many homeowners check their heating system’s filter once a month to ensure they know when they need attention.
Be sure to use air filters that capture particles like dust, dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander. Your HVAC system likely has a maximum MERV rating it can handle. MERV, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, measures how effective an air filter is at trapping particulates. While a higher MERV rating means better filtration, it can also make the filter more restrictive. Using a filter that’s too restrictive can put unnecessary strain on your HVAC system. In most cases, a filter with a MERV rating of around 8 is a good balance between efficiency and system protection.
Contact Your Local Professionals
At Conway Comfort Heating & Cooling, we have been serving the residents of Hamilton Township, NJ and the surrounding areas since 2001. We install, maintain, and repair heating systems and AC units. In addition, we can help with all your indoor air quality needs, including cleaning your ductwork and installing an air purifier or whole-home humidity control system. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our talented technicians.
