Five Steps to Prepare Your Heater for Cold Weather

Check out our tips for preparing your heater for winter, whether you need to warm up your home & family or business & employees.

1. Check or replace your filter.

It’s the quickest, easiest way to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system, saving energy and lowering your bill all at once. If you suffer from allergies, it might even alleviate some of your symptoms. Replacing your filter every 3 months is a good general rule to follow. If you find yourself forgetting, try to replace them before winter every year. Sitting unused for 6 months results in a lot of dust collected, and a rough few days when that system first coughs back to life.

2. Check your thermostat.

If you’ve got a battery powered thermostat, replace the batteries. It’s probably about time unless you can clearly remember the last time you did it. If it’s digital, reprogram it, just to keep things updated and working smoothly. If it’s got mercury in it, please get it replaced!

3. Check belts for fraying.

There is not much you can do for a fraying belt, except to replace it before it causes worse damage. It is beneficial to look and try to catch this pesky issue before it becomes costly.

4. Oil the blower motor.

Just like the belt, friction gradually wears on machinery over time. Adding a drop or two of oil can keep things running smoothly for a good, long season.

5. Check your vents and ducts.

Dents, punctures, cracks or disconnects in your ducts or obstructions in your vents can reduce the efficiency of the entire system, causing you to leave it running longer. This wastes energy drains money and may lead to bigger problems down the road.

If you encounter damage within your home or business HVAC system, please call an industry professional. American Mechanical is happy to take on any injury your home or business may have sustained over time, and our highest priority is your satisfaction.

Contact us today for residential or commercial HVAC and heater maintenance in Hampton Roads.

For additional tips on heater maintenance, please take a look at these Maintenance Tips.