Heating and Air: When and How to have it Checked

Are people telling you it's the time of year to have your home's heating and air checked? Are you unsure what they mean? Chances are it's either fall or spring and they are warning you that you will be using your home HVAC system more often in the coming months.

If you live in a relatively mild climate, you may never have to deal with heating and air conditioning units. Some climates are a lovely room temperature all year around. This is great for homeowners, as they don't have to worry over the costs of having things like ducts and thermostats repaired. For most people, though, living without heat or cool is just unfathomable.

Most climates are seasonal. The winters feel cold and the summers are hot. In fact, even most mild climates will cause homeowners to need cooling or warming in the house if even for a few days every winter or summer. You may not be buried under three feet of snow all winter long, but you will have a few days where the temperatures get close to dipping just below freezing.

Likewise, you may have no real need for a central cooling system. Most summers in your neck of the woods may stay mild in the upper seventies to mid-eighties. However, there are those few days where temps can top in the nineties and when that happens, you better have more than ice cubes. Because living without at least the option of a cooler or warmer in-house environment can be frustrating and even dangerous, most people have an HVAC system installed in their home. They just might not use it regularly.

For those that do use their HVAC systems regularly, the transitional seasons are the most important for upkeep. Most people will use these in-between times like spring and fall to do a little maintenance. Checking how things are working and making sure everything is properly aligned, cleaned out and ready to go is an important task.

Some people leave this maintenance work to professionals. This is a fine route to take if you aren't one to get your hands dirty. Maintenance on your home's heating and air system isn't the most glamorous project. It is wise to get an expert involved if you think you will need one. However, if you are an avid do-it-yourselfer than this is a job that you can likely handle.

The most important thing is to follow the seasons. Get everything cleaned out and ready to go before summer and winter when you will be using the unit the most. If you can aim for having things ready by the time the temperature starts rising or falling, you can guarantee yourself a cool and cozy house when it's necessary.

The time of year plays a large role on the type of maintenance you do on your homes heating and air system. Check the calendar and schedule some work time if necessary.