When the temperature drops across Dutchess, Putnam, and Northern Westchester, your heating system does most of the work of keeping the house livable. These five winter HVAC maintenance tips help it run better, cost less, and get through the season without a breakdown. Most of them you can do yourself. One of them is our job.
1.Replace Your Air Filters
A dirty filter chokes the airflow, so the system works harder and wears out faster.
- Check the filter every month during heating season and replace it when it's dirty, usually every one to three months
- A better filter traps more dust, as long as your system is set up for it
- Rather not deal with it? We supply and change filters, and we'll swap yours at your tune-up
If dust is a constant fight in your house, our indoor air quality page covers better filtration.
2.Check Your Thermostat Settings
The thermostat decides how hard your system runs, so it's worth a look before winter.
- Set a programmable thermostat to drop a few degrees at night or when nobody's home
- If the house never seems to match the setting, the thermostat may need checking or replacing
- A smart thermostat makes the schedule easier to stick to
3.Schedule a Furnace or Boiler Tune-Up
This is the one to leave to us. A tune-up before the heat goes on for good catches small problems before they turn into a no-heat call. On a typical visit we:
- Inspect and clean the burner
- Check the heat exchanger (the part that keeps the flame and exhaust separate from the air or water it heats)
- Check gas or oil connections for safety
- Test the controls and the thermostat
- Check airflow on a furnace, or pressure and circulation on a boiler
Our heating maintenance page has the full list.
4.Clear Your Vents and Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Blocked vents make the system work harder and can be a fire risk if something's piled against a vent or baseboard heater. And any system that burns fuel needs working carbon monoxide detectors in the house.
- Keep supply and return vents clear of furniture, rugs, and boxes
- Test your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries every year
- If you don't have a detector near the bedrooms, add one
5.Seal and Insulate Your Ducts
Leaky ducts lose heat into the attic, crawl space, or basement before it ever reaches your rooms.
- Seal gaps at the joints with duct mastic (a paste sealer) or foil tape, not regular cloth duct tape
- Insulate ducts that run through unheated spaces
- If some rooms are always colder than others, ask us to take a look at the ductwork