Your HVAC system is responsible for keeping your home comfortable, safe, and energy efficient. Take a few minutes to consider how that weather can affect how your heating system runs.
Damage to AC or Heat Pump Coils
Whether you have an AC or heat pump, you have a refrigerant coil outside. Winter weather can wreak havoc on that coil when it captures moisture that freezes. The best way to prevent this is to clean the coil while the weather is warm and keep it uncovered so that air can flow through it all winter.
Blocked Furnace Flue and Ventilation
Your home’s HVAC system depends on its ability to circulate air, including through your home, through the furnace’s exhaust, and your home’s ventilation. Winter poses unique threats to that circulation, especially through the flue and ventilation. Ice and snow can block these key airflow inlets and outlets, choking the system. At a minimum, the result is a significant reduction in efficiency, or short cycling of the system to a more extreme.
Poor Air Quality
The air tends to dry out over the winter, allowing particles to stay airborne longer. The result is that those particles clog your air filter more quickly, choking the airflow through the system, which can affect your home’s indoor air quality. Avoid this by regulating your home’s humidity to between 30% and 50% and changing your filters according to the recommended schedule.
Increased Operational Strain
Any time the temperature drops outside, your heating system experiences more strain trying to keep your house warm. It’s also common for people to turn the temperature up when it’s colder outside thinking it’ll make their house warmer. Reduce your strain by keeping your temperature set to the Department of Energy’s recommended 68 degrees, or even lower it a little bit when it’s the coldest outside.
When property owners around Lees’ Summit want HVAC services they can trust, they’ve turned to AFC Heating and Cooling since 1956. Our team proudly provides AC and heating maintenance, repair and installation together with indoor air quality solutions. Call to schedule your heating maintenance with one of our expert technicians today.
