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How to Prepare Your HVAC System for Boston’s Winter
Winter low temperatures in Boston are typically right around freezing and some days only getting into the teens. Therefore, it’s crucial that your HVAC system works well enough to keep your house fully warm. Equally important is that it works efficiently to keep your heating bills from being unnecessarily high. The biggest key to ensuring efficient, effective heating performance throughout the winter is maintaining your HVAC system and getting it cold-weather ready. In this article, we’ll explore what all this involves and why pre-season HVAC maintenance is so important.
Preparing Your HVAC System
The most important step in getting your HVAC system ready for winter is to schedule a professional tune-up. An HVAC tune-up involves inspecting the system and all of its components for any issues that could negatively impact its efficiency and performance. It could also potentially lead to it suddenly not working. Cleaning components like the blower and the furnace burners or the heat pump coils helps improve energy efficiency. For furnaces, it’s also crucial to test the safety sensors and switches, inspect the heat exchanger. You should also check that the combustion fumes are being vented directly outside to avoid any potential safety hazards.
There are also some maintenance tasks that you should do yourself to make sure your HVAC system is ready for the cold. This includes clearing any clutter in the surrounding area to ensure proper airflow and avoid fire hazards and replacing the air filter every one to three months. If you have a heat pump, you also need to make sure to keep the area around the outdoor unit clear of snow and ice. That will ensure it receives sufficient airflow. Another important step is to check that all vents are open and not clogged with debris or obstructed by furniture.
Key Winter HVAC Considerations
Making sure to consistently keep up with the necessary maintenance tasks is essential for avoiding common issues that can lead to poor performance. That could also result in increased system strain and higher energy bills. Restricted airflow that results from a dirty air filter or closed vents leads to less heat being produced. That makes it much more difficult for the system to circulate heat evenly across the house. It also leads to the system having to run more and work harder, which increases the chances of a breakdown.
Ensuring your HVAC system is properly maintained is especially important for avoiding safety hazards. A dirty, clogged filter can lead to a furnace overheating, which could potentially result in a fire. Frequent overheating creates the risk of the heat exchanger cracking, which leads to carbon monoxide leaking into the ductwork and getting circulated around the house. Carbon monoxide issues can also result if a furnace or boiler isn’t properly vented.
Benefits of an HVAC Tune-Up
Annual HVAC maintenance is always worth the cost due to all of the benefits it provides. Some of the biggest benefits of annual winter tune-ups include:
- Better heating performance
- Improved efficiency
- Lower energy bills
- Reduced risk of system breakdowns and high repair costs
- Fewer issues with uneven heating and hot/cold spots
- Longer life expectancy for your heating system
- Ensuring the warranty on your heating system remains valid
Get Ready for Winter Comfort
At Suburban HVAC, our team is ready to expertly handle your heating maintenance needs and ensure that your system is ready for winter. We serve residential and commercial customers throughout Boston. Our highly trained technicians can service and maintain all makes and models of furnaces, heat pumps and boilers. We’ve been in business since 1963. We are proud to have earned a reputation as one of the area’s top providers of professional heating services and solutions. To schedule a tune-up or any other heating service for your home or business, contact the local experts at Suburban HVAC today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you looking for ways to ensure that your HVAC system remains in good condition and works effectively all winter long? Our experienced, knowledgeable team is always ready to provide honest advice and recommendations and can answer any questions you may have.
What should be included in winter HVAC maintenance?
Professional HVAC maintenance involves tasks like cleaning certain components and testing all of the various switches and sensors. It’s important to check that the thermostat works properly and is correctly calibrated. It is also important that the HVAC system functions correctly and produces sufficient heat. Another essential task is regularly checking the air filter and replacing it once it starts getting dirty.
How early should I schedule an HVAC tune-up before winter?
You should always schedule an annual tune-up before the cold weather arrives. The best time to schedule this service is in the early fall before you need to switch your heating on.
Why does my HVAC system struggle more during cold weather?
An HVAC system struggles more during colder weather primarily as a result of the house cooling down more and getting colder more quickly. This results in the system having to run more frequently and needing to do more work to keep the house at the desired temperature. Heat pump systems can especially struggle in colder conditions when there is less heat outside for them to capture and bring inside
