It’s a great time to get back outdoors sans the frigid winter weather. It may still be a little chilly, but more tolerable than last season.
Spring can provide temperature relief for us and our HVAC systems. However, spring can also pose its own threats.
Think of all the allergens, particles, and contaminants you try avoiding outdoors. While you can protect yourself indoors, you might not be safe forever.
Your outdoor HVAC units are exposed to the elements 24/7, and it won’t be long until it starts harboring contamination. Check on your HVAC systems this spring to avoid any lasting effects of winter while preparing for summer.
Trust us; spring is the best time for holistic HVAC maintenance.
Learn more about springtime maintenance below.
Spring Cleaning for HVAC Systems
Some don’t know that HVAC systems need spring cleaning just as much as the rest of your home. That’s alright.
Most homeowners aren’t aware of its importance. Some homeowners know how important pre- and postseason maintenance is, but not enough about prepping for spring.
If you think you struggled to get through last winter, just think of your HVAC units outdoors. A blanket of snow may be covering it now and harboring ice particles within.
If your heating and cooling systems are linked, one affected by winter may impact the other. Even with separate HVAC systems, it’s best to check on each in preparation for spring.
Springtime Hazards
In Spring, Washington is sunny, windy, and humid. The slight shift in temperature between winter and spring can drastically alter outdoor conditions.
There are more airborne particles freely floating around outdoors. A quick trip to the store may trigger your allergies, leading to relentless coughing and sneezing.
Microscopic particles are small enough to go up your nose. They can easily infiltrate your HVAC systems. Even the most sophisticated HVAC systems aren’t immune to springtime pollutants.
Particles that settle on your person can trojan horse their way indoors. They can get sucked up by air vents and spread through your ductwork.
Pollutants not already brought in by your clothes, shoes, bag, hair, or skin may instead settle atop HVAC units outdoors.Various pollutants like dander and pollen can saturate our air handlers, further promoting their presence indoors.
We must protect our HVAC systems from these hazardous particles to avoid suffering allergy symptoms indoors and mechanical malfunctions.
How to Protect My HVAC Systems in Spring
There are many ways to avoid springtime hazards and remedy winter’s effects on your HVAC systems. You can even conduct basic maintenance services yourself.
Inspecting HVAC units is an easy yet helpful way to protect the entire system. Looking is easy, but carefully examining your units can be time-consuming.
Thorough inspections include peeking into indoor and outdoor units, including your home’s ducting. It’s important to look within units to locate clogs and uncover hidden threats.
Cleaning is also relatively safe unless you dismantle units entirely or tinker around critical components. Clearing clogs and obstructions is an excellent example of basic yet helpful maintenance efforts.
Reporting significant HVAC issues to reputable technicians can also save you the hassle of dealing with them yourself. It is always better to have expert assistance to avoid causing damage or sustaining injuries.
Whether you do them yourself or hire someone else, knowing more about your HVAC systems is helpful. Homeowners who know more about maintenance requirements will likely avoid falling for unreliable services.
You never know when a contractor may “bait” you into paying for more than your HVAC needs. It may also save homeowners from typical pitfalls, such as forgoing maintenance or delaying repairs.
Below you will find vital do’s and don’ts to help prep your HVAC systems for spring.
Comprehensive Guide for HVAC Spring Maintenance
Here’s the best tip anyone can give you regarding HVAC maintenance: Enlist routine maintenance services from reliable contractors.
Reliable contractors provide effective services at reasonable costs. They also perform within sensible timeframes.
Less reliable technicians may promise services that are “too good to be true.” Incredible offers may be enticing but don’t trust “specialists” who can’t provide everything below.
Prevention and Protection
The broad range of maintenance services boils down to protecting your unit from various hazards or preventing them from causing any.
Safety is the single-most important priority of all maintenance efforts. Various tasks are critical in ensuring your HVAC systems operate safely.
While safety is a viable reason for enlisting HVAC services, it isn’t the sole purpose of maintenance. Compromised HVAC systems can also influence other factors.
Users may face fewer safety hazards with innovative systems. Still, it doesn’t make forgoing maintenance any less risky.
Remember, everything within the system can impact critical functions.
Stabilization and Security
HVAC systems undergo maintenance for various reasons that aren’t always related to safety. Multiple issues may need attention, considering how much your HVAC system protects your home.
Your physical safety may not be at risk, but neglecting maintenance puts your comfort and finances at risk. Without holistic remedies, one lingering issue may negate other maintenance efforts and destabilize your entire HVAC system.
Instability affects comfort levels and generates more costs. Paying more for less can dampen anyone’s spring break.
The discomfort you feel at home is caused by more than pollutants invading your indoor spaces. Without securing each of your HVAC units and attachments, your home is exposed to various debilitating outdoor conditions.
Here are the most common indicators that your HVAC system is unstable and ineffective:
- Unreliable temperatures
- Inexplicable allergies
- Erratic energy costs
- Unusual emissions
We cannot rely on amateurs to pinpoint or remedy the root cause effectively. Any technician can remedy the immediate problem, but only experts can reverse their impact on your HVAC system.
Securing components and stabilizing their functions requires professional tools and extensive expertise.
Tune-Ups
Since spring isn’t much hotter than winter, most homeowners keep their heating systems running. However, your heating system may lag, taking longer to produce quality heating.
By springtime, your heating systems may already be in dire need of a break. Reliable tune-up services can help spring your heating system back into action.
If you intend to use your heating system further into spring, it’s best to give it a boost. It would be best to clear out winter frosting to preventcondensation from attracting springtime pollutants.
Clearing clogs, cleaning pipelines, and recalibrating automated functions can reinvigorate your entire heating system. Even if you are shutting systems down, forgoing maintenance tasks can expose them to particle pollution.
Your HVAC systems are prone to congestion against springtime humidity and abundant airborne particles. Ensure your entire HVAC system is pristine to prevent clogs and contamination, which may warrant costly repairs later.
Repairs and Replacements
Look out for unusual behaviors to preserve your HVAC systems. It also helps keep your home safe against possible hazards.
Something seemingly harmless can quickly turn into a disaster. We may be complacent by thinking an icy clog from winter can just melt away, requiring no further attention.
Assuming minor problems can resolve themselves without professional interference may attract worse problems. Leaving icy particles on or within your HVAC units invites more pollen and dander, creating hazardous clusters.
Condensation doesn’t only invite clog-causing particles but attracts more hazardous contaminants and pathogens. Your HVAC systems make prime environments to breed mold colonies. You might have to replace your entire HVAC system due to extensive infestation.
Clogs and contamination may saturate or dislodge critical components, causing internal havoc. Minor issues, like cracks, leaks, overheating, and short-circuiting, can quickly lead to extensive damage.
It is vital to immediately addressHVAC concerns by conducting the necessary repairs and replacements.
When to Call for Professional Assistance
Anything amiss with your HVAC system will affect its collective output. It can be easy to tell when something is wrong with our heating and cooling units.
HVAC issues may manifest noticeably, like reflecting on your monthly bills. You may also notice indicators like unusual sounds and smells.
It’s important to pay attention to your HVAC units. The condition of their entire systems affects the following qualities the most:
- Effectiveness – the quality of their output. Are your desired temperatures being met?
- Efficiency – how much energy or utilities do they consume? Are there inexplicable spikes in your monthly dues?
- Sustainability – do you notice any alarming emissions? Visiblecarbon emissions aren’t typical for HVAC systems and must be immediately reported.
While you may tell through various indicators, some manifestations are harder to notice. Underlying HVAC issues may require professional attention to pinpoint.
When in doubt, reach out!
Reputable HVAC Contractors to Call in Puyallup, WA
Cleaning your heating and cooling systems in spring promotes year-long protection. Don’t let pollutants like pollen, mud, and dirt damage your HVAC systems.
Vigilance and diligence are the two most powerful tools you can deploy against various hazards. Reach out to professionals for expert services when you notice something wrong.
Don’t settle for unreliable contractors with less renown. It would be best to have expert assistance to nip problems in the bud and effectively contain their impact.
Taylor Heating & AC provides comprehensive services, including inspections, cleaning, and repairs. If you need help this spring, call Puyallup’s most trusted AC & Heat Pump Diagnostic & Repair services. We also serve the neighboring areas, including Tacoma, Graham, Spanaway, and Lakewood.
