Is your home and heat ready for winter? This is how to winterize your home!
Did you know that the fall and spring are the best time to set up your HVAC maintenance? With winter fast approaching, what can you do to avoid heat pump problems in cold weather? At All American Heating and Air, we understand how important it is to winterize your home to keep it feeling cozy and warm during those chilly winter nights.
Even in beautiful North Carolina, temperatures can drop to low levels, so it’s important to winterize your home to prepare for those unexpected cold snaps. Ensuring peak performance from your heat pumps in cold weather can certainly give you peace of mind during the fall and winter months.
Don’t wait – be proactive! Many homeowners wait until something goes wrong with their heating systems before acting, leaving them unprepared for heat pump problems in cold weather. Taking early maintenance precautions is the first step for ensuring your system is winter-ready.
According to Energy.gov the difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10% to 25%. That’s a lot of wasted energy savings that could be avoided if you winterize your home ahead of time. Energy.gov also recommends using a professional technician to service your heat pump at least once a year.
How to winterize your home?
Heat pumps aren’t wrapped in a thermal blanket during the cold weather, but there are some easy maintenance steps you can take in time to ensure that you winterize your home for maximum heat pump efficiency. There are some great educational tips from the folks at Trane, including:
- Remember to clean or change your filters once a month, or as needed
- Keep your registers open
- During the heating season, try not to set the thermostat below 65 degrees
- Check for snow or ice build-up on your heat pump: build-ups restrict the airflow
- Remove foliage from around the outdoor unit and keep shrubs at least 18 inches away from the heat pump on all sides.
Why should you change your air filter?
According to the experts from Trane, taking care of your heat pump filter is one the most important things for proper maintenance. As the system circulates air, it filters the air in your home and takes out the excess moisture to help control humidity. When the heat pump circulates air in your home, dust and dirt can accumulate on the filter, causing a build-up of particles that can obstruct airflow, making your system work even harder.
How to save on heating costs?
If your house is like most, someone is constantly turning up or down the thermostat, causing the heating system to be in a state of ebb and flow in terms of its efficiency and energy use. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter, then decrease it at night or during the day when you’re gone.
If you have questions regarding heat pump maintenance, be sure to call All American Heating and Air and ask us about our HVAC Maintenance plan. We understand how essential your heat pump is and are here to help you avoid heat pump problems in cold weather.