HVAC System Summer Preparation Tips

Is Your Home’s HVAC System Ready for Summer

Ah, summertime! Great holidays! Vacations! Warm weather with plenty of time to be outside.

While the weather is good, this is the perfect time to get some things done around the house, both inside and outside. If your house is like most on the block, there are several general maintenance projects that need to be addressed. Maintenance is the key to keeping your home up and some projects can save you money and increase the safety of your property.

Start with an outdoors inspection. The exterior portions of your homework as a single system, not unlike your plumbing or electrical systems.

• Throughout the year debris will collect in your gutters—leaves, pollen pods, and seeds can buildup and clog your gutters. Clean them now and consider a gutter guard. Clogged gutters and downspouts can lead to leaks from the roof, walls, and even the foundation.
• Guide water away from your property. Make note of standing water after rain events and find a way to drain it to the street.
• Inspect your roof. Start on the ground with a pair of binoculars. Call a roofing professional if you detect a problem.
• Make note of limbs that overhang the roof, outdoor living space such as a deck or patio, and over the compressor unit of your HVAC system.
• Inspect driveways, sidewalks, and decks. Now is an excellent time to power wash. Fix and seal the little cracks before they become big cracks. Re-lay or replace bricks or pavers that might cause someone to trip. Do the deck and handrails need to be stained and sealed to protect them from water and insect damage?
• Clean windows and screens while the weather is nice. Use a vinegar-ammonia solution to clean, then rinse with water. Use a squeegee to remove excess water. Inspect for gaps in the framing and caulk to prevent water and wind from entering. Make sure window mechanics are in working order.
• Care for your doors. Make sure the hinges are tight and lubed and caulk any gaps in the framework. Inspect the weatherproofing strips and repair or replace them as needed.
• Observe changes in your paint, siding, stucco, brick, or shingles. Repairs may take time, but that is why you are looking now. Pressure wash accumulated dirt or mildew. Check for wood rot, peeling paint or chipped paint, or faded stain, and make repairs now.

Continue the care indoors. Repairs that you make save you money, make your home more comfortable and increases the value of your home.

• Inspect for interior gaps or cracks around windows and doors; apply caulk or other sealants. The gaps you caulk on the inside prevent drafts and increases the comfort of your home.
• How long has it been since a professional cleaned your chimney? You should understand the importance of keeping the chimney free of buildup to lower the risk of chimney fires. Schedule a cleaning now and beat the Fall rush.
• Protect your pipes from winter freezing. You are right—Houston rarely sees prolonged freezing temperatures. But it happens. Insulation now is a better option than extensive repairs later.
• Schedule an annual battery change for devices you depend upon all year round; smoke detectors, CO detectors, and thermostats. Clean air purifiers and humidifiers/dehumidifiers on a schedule.

Don’t forget your HVAC system. This system cleans, cools, heats, dehumidifies, and moves air throughout your home to keep you safe and comfortable.

• Change the direction on ceiling fans with the season—counterclockwise for cooling and clockwise for the heating season.
• Wipe and clean vents and registers.
• Change your air filter often—at least every 3 months.
• If you cannot remember the last time your ductwork was cleaned, it is time to schedule a cleaning.
• Schedule a preventative maintenance call for your HVAC system and your water heater. Regular maintenance can extend the life of your system and improve efficiency. Often a preventive maintenance inspection detects a minor problem before it becomes a major problem.

Maintenance time, effort, and even dollars come back in savings, safety, comfort, and increased value to you and your family.

Need HVAC System Summer Preparation Help?

Now is the time to start your HVAC System Maintenance for summer vacation? To help you make the best decision, we’re happy to evaluate the equipment you have and show you the best HVAC System Maintenance plan in place for your home. Give us a call today.

Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat today at 281-338-8751 or email Doctor Cool for tips about Lowering Energy Bills during the intense South Texas heat of the Summer.