In this day and age of high-tech everything, maintaining all the moving parts and pieces of your home can seem fairly overwhelming. But there are several easy, routine things you can do without calling in the HVAC pros—and knowing how to do them can help keep your family comfortable throughout the season without spending an arm and a leg!
Change Your Filters
- Furnace Filters – These should be checked monthly and swapped out every 30-60 days. Most systems make it easy to find and remove the filter, but if you have issues, a quick Google search on your unit’s make and model will give you specific instructions. Turn off your unit, and pull out the filter. Look for dust on the surface, a fuzzy appearance, dampness, or mold. If you see any of these conditions, it’s time for a change!
- Whole-house Humidifier Filter – These should be changed at least once a year, and maybe more often if you have hard water or we’ve had a particularly harsh winter. Check your owner’s manual, but most units follow these fairly simple steps: turn off the system, remove the cover, and disconnect the water tube. Remove the filter (sometimes called an evaporator pad)—if it looks to be in good condition, just give it a good cleaning with water and vinegar to remove any calcification. If a replacement is needed, slide the new filter into the tracks (there should be markings to indicate which end goes where), taking care not to jam it in (this is an indication it’s not going in properly). Replace the cover, and turn your unit back on. In addition to changing or cleaning your filters, the whole unit should be cleaned annually.
Clean Off Your Outdoor A/C Unit
If you keep on top of it, this is really a minor chore. Any time you’re outside doing yard work, cooking on the grill, or playing with the kids, take a few minutes to check out your A/C unit. Remove any loose debris, like tree branches and leaves. Suck up any dirt on the fins using the soft-brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Hose off any lingering muck. These simple tasks will help keep your unit running cleaner, longer, and more efficiently—and will help make sure it starts up without any issues come summertime.
Re-seal Your Windows
It’s no good heating and cooling your house when all the air is escaping out of cracks around your windows. A couple times a year, be sure to inspect all the seals on the outside of your doors and windows. Remove any cracked, dry, or damaged caulk, clean the area, and replace with new. Put painter’s tape down first to keep things nice and neat, and smooth the caulk with a lint-free cloth after you’ve piped it in.
Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans
Most people don’t realize you can change the direction your ceiling fan rotates, much less why you’d ever want to do such a thing. But this simple task can end up saving you up to 10% on your heating and cooling bills! In the summer, you want your fan rotating counterclockwise, to force air downwards, creating that lovely, cooling breeze. In the winter, having your fan rotating clockwise will create an updraft that helps circulate warm air throughout the room. To change directions, turn your fan off, find a sturdy ladder, and take a look at the base of the fan. Find the switch, and slide it to the opposite direction. (It’s really that easy.)