It’s that time of year again! Winter is just a few short months away. It’s never too early to make sure your home’s heating system is ready for the colder weather. Check out these 4 simple tips on how you can prepare your HVAC system for the chilly season that’s around the corner.

4 Ways to Prepare Your HVAC System for Cold Weather

1. Schedule a Maintenance Appointment

Ideally, you should have preventative HVAC maintenance performed twice a year. Spring and fall are usually mild seasons. This makes them a perfect time to have HVAC maintenance services performed! You won’t have to deal with uncomfortable weather if your HVAC needs to have some downtime for repairs. 

Regular maintenance does more than ensure your system is running. It also ensures that your system is running as effectively and efficiently as possible. The biggest benefit of preventative maintenance is right in the name — prevention! Catching small issues, such as wear and tear, means those issues can be remedied early. Save yourself costly repairs and invest in regular preventative maintenance appointments. Your HVAC system and your family will thank you!

Texas Ace Heating and Air Conditioning offers preventative maintenance packages to keep your HVAC system running smoothly year-round.  Learn more about our preventative maintenance packages.

2. Make Sure Your Heating Works

Run your home’s heating system a few times before cold weather arrives. The worst time to realize your heating is broken is when you really need it. Listen for any unusual sounds coming from your HVAC system. Any whining, rattling, or banging sounds warrant a professional inspection. This is a great time to check whether or not your thermostat is accurate, too. 

Test your thermostat accuracy by following these simple steps:

• Set the temperature
• Allow the system to run for a while (at least half an hour)
• Check the temperature with a thermometer. You’ll likely need to use a kitchen thermometer as the type you keep in the medicine cabinet often won’t read temperatures below 90 degrees or so.

Is your home significantly cooler or warmer than the number on the thermostat? You may need to replace the batteries in your thermostat or have it professionally inspected and serviced.

3. Invest in a Smart Thermostat

In our opinion, smart thermostats are the greatest thing since sliced bread! There’s a reason there’s so much hype about these smart devices. A smart thermostat keeps your home at a comfortable temperate, saves you money, and allows you to control the temperature of your home remotely. We could go on all day about smart thermostats! Check out our previous post “4 Reasons a Smart Thermostat is the Smart Choice This Winter” for more information.

4. Winterize Your Home

Check for drafts:
Windows and doors are common sources of drafts, but they aren’t the only ones. Some little-known sources of drafts might surprise you. Check inside cabinets for cold air leaks, especially any cabinets below sinks. The cut-outs in the walls for sink pipes are a common source of drafts. Check out this guide on sealing kitchen cabinet drafts to see what methods are right for your sealing your home’s drafty cupboards.

Inspect window and door seals:
If light can come through the seals around your doors and windows, cold air can too! Replace damaged weather stripping before the cold weather sets in.  Doing this will keep your home warmer overall, and you’ll save money on your utility bills.

Test smoke detectors:
Structure fires are common in the winter. It’s important to make sure that your smoke alarms are working properly before cold weather arrives. Test their function and replace batteries as needed.

Insulate, insulate, insulate:
Dallas/Fort Worth winters are usually mild, but recent years have had some surprising cold snaps. Insulate your windows with curtains or blankets to conserve heat. Check out our guide on How to Stay Warm With No Power for more information on weathering extreme weather.

HVAC Services in Dallas/Fort Worth

Texas Ace provides professional HVAC services to customers all around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Learn more about the different residential HVAC services that Texas Ace offers and see what service is right for you.

Ready to schedule your next HVAC maintenance appointment? Contact us today and get your next inspection on the calendar.