HVAC System Maintenance, HVAC System Preparation & Preventative HVAC System ServicesTampa, FL, North Port, FL, Town 'n' Country, FL, Port Charlotte, FL, Greater Carrollwood, FL & Citrus Park, FL
Do your recent New Year’s resolutions include travel? If so, you may want to learn about the best practices for preparing your home A/C to be away for an extended period of time. Whether you are leaving for a weekend or for a month, preventative care for your HVAC system is critical to ensuring you don’t receive any HVAC-related emergency calls while you are relaxing on vacation.
1. Open and Clear Vents. With doors and windows remaining closed while you are away, you will want to ensure that fresh air is circulating throughout your home. By opening and cleaning your vents, you are continuing the flow of fresh air in every room in your house. Blocked air vents can not only decrease efficiency of your system, but can also lead to odors and dust build up caused from stale air.
2. Check Outdoor Condenser Unit. In Florida, we have plenty of palm and oak trees that frequently drop debris into the condenser unit, typically found on the side or back of your home. Large sticks can cause damage to the fan blades, or other issues that could lead to system failure. Prevent this from happening by trimming trees and long grass around the unit and clearing any yard waste.
3. Darken Your Home. In Florida, we get plenty of sun. Closing your shades and blinds can cool your home and cause your system to work less. According to consumerreports.org, ‘When completely closed, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent, says the DOE. They can also be adjusted to block and reflect direct sunlight onto a light-colored ceiling, which diffuses the light without much heat or glare.’*
4. Program Your Thermostat. It’s never recommended to shut off your system in Florida due to high temperatures and humidity, however, it would be a financially smart idea to program your thermostat to maintain proper temperatures during sunlight hours. Typical settings are from 72-76 degrees Fahrenheit, or lower if you will have a pet remaining in the home. You do not want to surpass 85 degrees, or you could risk mold or other damage to your home. Smart thermostats can notify you remotely if the system exceeds safe temperatures, or if the humidity in your home is too high.
5. Schedule Preventative Maintenance. With regular maintenance, you can help your system from running into many issues that happen to a system over time including erosion of wearable parts, build up of condensation, or dirt collection on coils. It’s not unusual for your system to run into issues when you least expect it, so schedule maintenance today to help avoid getting these stressful calls while you are on vacation.
We at Total Air Solutions wish all our customers and neighbors safe travels this year. To schedule your semi-annual preventative A/C maintenance, call our office at 941-426-1770 to learn more.
Total Air Solutions, January 9, 2022
Author: Lauren Marshall, Marketing Manager
HVAC System Preparation ∴ Preventative HVAC System Services ∴ HVAC System Maintenance ∴ Tampa, FL ∴ Westchase, FL ∴ Town 'n' Country, FL
