2018 Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to HVAC Upkeep
A New Year is upon us and it’s time to start thinking about taking care of your HVAC system for 2018 and beyond. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and your system will see a lot of use during the hottest and coldest months of the year. All too often, homeowners wait until their HVAC systems break down during these months; that means trying to get an HVAC service technician to your home to fix your heater during a snowstorm.
Needless to say, even though we provide 24/7 service, many technicians are busy and you might end up waiting in the bitter cold and blistering heat for hours. In the interest of avoiding the hassle and expense of last-minute problems, it helps to be prepared year-round. Vancouver, WA is often subject to temperature extremes throughout the year and so it pays to be diligent. This seasonal guide will help you keep your HVAC system up and running all year long.
JANUARY, FEBRUARY (Late Winter)
It’s a New Year, and for many people that means making big changes in all areas of life. HVAC upkeep should be no exception! The New Year is a great time to have an HVAC service come in and evaluate your system, especially if you’ve never done it before.
Often, the HVAC systems in homes are in dire need of upgrades, having never been updated since the homes were built (often decades earlier). Sometimes homeowners discover to their horror that their HVAC systems don’t even fit their homes properly; for example, if your air conditioning is designed for a smaller home than you have, it will strain to cool down every room. This will put a lot of stress on the system, not to mention costing you a pretty penny by drawing unneeded power.
It’s 2018, so it’s time to modernize things. The latest in technology means HVAC systems are more energy efficient, green, and money-saving than ever before. Make it your New Year’s resolution to ensure all of your heating and cooling systems are up-to-date.
MARCH, APRIL, MAY (Springtime)
As the winter ice thaws and the warmer months approach, it’s time to start thinking about your air conditioning. Many homeowners don’t plan ahead and find their AC breaking down on one of the hottest days of the year, leading them to sit around in discomfort while they wait for a busy HVAC service technician to come to their home to fix the problem.
Don’t wait until it gets hot; take advantage of the fact that HVAC companies are less busy during the late spring months and have a full evaluation done of your air conditioning system. Your technician will check all the ducts and piping in your home for leaks and ensure your electrical systems are up to date.
The spring also happens to be prime allergy season, so make sure to ask if any of your air filters need to be replaced. Often, replacing the air filters is something homeowners tend to neglect and this can allow the buildup of dust and particulate matter, leading to allergies and other issues. Having the air filters regularly replaced can dramatically reduce problems like allergies and asthma.
JUNE, JULY, AUGUST (Summer)
By July, summer is in full swing and that means beaches, swimming pools, and long days enjoying the outdoors. It can also mean your air conditioner is seeing a lot of use, as some days are bound to be very, very hot! Hopefully, you followed the advice in this guide and had your air conditioner evaluated by a service technician before the weather became unbearable without cool ventilation. However, sometimes problems occur anyway and you will have to call an HVAC service to save the day.
When this does happen, make sure you have a reliable company who can perform quick, high-quality work so you won’t have any more problems. If you live in Vancouver, WA where temperatures can exceed 100 degrees during the summer, look no further than us ENTEK HVAC. With certified, experienced technicians, we can help pull you out of the fire (no pun intended) during an air conditioning emergency.
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER (Autumn)
As the summer winds down, it’s time to start thinking about the cold winter months ahead. While the summer might have been a hot one, the Vancouver, WA area can also be extremely cold, with temperatures often dropping into the forties and lower. The autumn is a good time to have a full evaluation of your heating system done.
Just as with your air conditioning, you won’t want to have your HVAC service technician trudge through ten inches of snow to get to your home on the coldest day of the year. Instead, schedule a technician to come over now and evaluate everything, from your furnace to your thermostat, and advise you if any repairs need to be made. We can also assist you with the insulation in your home, checking the seals on your doors and windows and making sure your home isn’t plagued with any leaks that will make your heating system much less efficient.
NOVEMBER, DECEMBER (Winter)
It’s wintertime and that means the holiday season! You might have relatives coming to visit and so ensure your home is warm and toasty for them. It also means another year is coming to an end. Hopefully, you kept your HVAC system in good working order and managed to keep your home warm, cozy and inviting even as frost formed outside. If you had any issues, hopefully you had access to a reliable technician like us over at ENTEK. Hopefully, in 2018, your family found relief from problems like asthma and allergies because you were diligent about your HVAC upkeep all throughout the year.
Now, a New Year is upon you again and it’s time to make sure all of your heating and cooling systems are up to date. With regular upkeep, repairs, and upgrades, you should be able to keep your home comfortable and your energy bills low for many years to come!