As the temperature starts dropping in fall, it’s a great time to prepare your HVAC unit for the cooler months ahead. In order to ensure that your system keeps you warm throughout the winter, your Darien heating and furnace system will need to be maintained in order to function in top condition.

Here are five HVAC maintenance tips to ensure that your system is ready for the fall in Darien:

1. Do a Post-summer Clean Up

In the fall season, shedding leaves could be harmful to your heating and furnace unit. They can get lodged in your outdoor unit and can even become a possible fire hazard. Additionally, over the summer months, there could have even been an accumulation of dust, dirt, pollen, and twigs within the unit. Therefore, getting the outdoor unit cleaned can save you repair costs in the future.

Blockages in the condensate drain line can also be bad for your HVAC system. Although best handled by a professional, if you have access to the drain line (and if you know what you are doing), you could pour a mixture of water and bleach to prevent clogs from forming.

Also, since the air filters should be replaced every 1-2 months, this might be the perfect time to do it.

2. Investigate and Inspect

It’s a good idea to always stay on the lookout for any odd or strange behavior coming from your HVAC unit, and even do a preliminary investigation of the unit before you have a scheduled inspection conducted by an HVAC company.

Does the unit emit strange odors? Are you hearing strange noises? Informing the heating and furnace professionals in charge of maintenance of any problems you’ve noticed can help them get to the root of the problem and fix it in time for fall and winter.

Also, if you are having a scheduled maintenance checkup for the unit, ensure that the blower motor, fan, ducts, and safety controls are also inspected. This is also a good time to get critical parts such as the evaporator coil, ignition system, and blower assembly cleaned.

3. Keep up With Routine Maintenance

It’s important to remember that your HVAC unit has a lot of moving parts that need to be regularly maintained for optimal performance. Ideally, this should be done at the turn of every season.

A routine HVAC maintenance is not only helpful in early detection of any issues, but it can also extend the life of your unit and help keep your energy bills low.

Generally, a comprehensive check-up will cover:

• Lubrication of moving parts
• Checking electrical connections
• Resetting thermostats
• Controls check-up
• Condensate drain clean-up

4. Check Parts Specific to Heating

With winter around the corner, it will soon be time to switch on the burner and the entire combustion process will be in full swing. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the heat exchanger is not cracked, and the burner is clean.
By hiring a professional Darien heating company, you can ensure that all parts and processes—including the ones below—are properly checked:

• Burner combustion
• Heat exchanger
• Gas pressure
• All gas/oil connections

5. Replace if Necessary

If your system is just not working efficiently, or if it has served its term of 10 to 15 years, you might want to consider replacing your entire HVAC system.

Looking to Hire an HVAC Company in Darien?

Are you currently facing issues with your HVAC unit? Are you looking for a heating service company in Darien, Illinois? If so, Hearthstone Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help.

We have been in business since 1996 and have served numerous customers throughout the Darien neighborhood. Whether you want a new unit installed, or would like to have your current equipment serviced, we have licensed technicians that can assist you.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment!