The Best HVAC Tips for Cozy Fall Evenings
Summer conditions put pressure on your HVAC system. With the increased billing necessary to keep high-powered, well-circulated air flowing, your HVAC system may sustain many internal damages. From a combination of overuse and pressure, summer heat strips your HVAC system of its functionality, impact, and durability. Ahead of the upcoming fall season, prepare your HVAC system for optimal performance by implementing a few fall-friendly maintenance techniques with our help at Semper Fi Air Conditioning.
Fall seasons demand easily accessible warmth, which can only be achieved through a well-working HVAC. If your HVAC cannot successfully funnel hot air throughout your property during a chilly night, you’ll have to warm up the old-fashioned way: a blanket and a dream. In addition to inspecting your HVAC system for any leaks or malfunctions, we’ll restore its functionality to the full extent so you can bask in that cozy fall atmosphere. Here are a few tips for optimizing your HVAC experience during those cool Fall evenings.
First, what does HVAC mean?
HVAC is short for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—an all-encompassing term used to describe the multitude of heating and cooling systems found within a home. Alternatively described as ‘man-made’ heating and cooling, your HVAC consists of your central air conditioning unit, heat pumps, air handlers, and humidifiers/dehumidifiers. There are additional parts you can install to create a larger air system, but these are the generic ones found in most households.
HVAC systems are designed to improve the quality, control, and efficiency of your heating and cooling experience right from your home. Another essential component of a house HVAC system is its ability to improve your indoor air quality or IAQ effectively. These air purification systems strip your air of harmful airborne toxins such as carbon monoxide so you can breathe clearly. During the fall season, protecting yourself from weather-related allergens is extra important. Prep your home HVAC with us at Semper Fi in Las Vegas for the ultimate fall air quality.
What are the components that make up an HVAC system?
While the main functions of an HVAC are to heat and cool the interior of a home, there are parts of the system that work from the outside to maintain optimal results. The thermostat and the compressor are two high-value parts of an HVAC that are located externally. All of these imperative components work together to supply clean, customizable air conditioning options during the Fall season:
Air Conditioner
The central air supply in most homes is the AC or air conditioning unit. Built to work around your heating and cooling preferences, air conditioning is monitored via a thermostat so you can manage how strongly you want your hot or cold air to flow. We additionally offer a ductless mini split system that falls under the same full-service, high-powered category.
Heat Pump
Heat pumps provide options depending on sustainability for those concerned with the environmental impact of controlled air conditioning systems. Heat pumps harness and release refrigerated air, the temperature of this air depends solely on your preference. If you want an environmentally friendly heat pump option, call us at Semper Fi today to hear more about our electronic heat pump options.
Furnace
When you think of classic heating within a home, you might initially think of a fireplace. A furnace is closely related to the heat radiation of a fireplace but with a more efficient, technologically advanced approach. Furnaces create a central flow of heat that’s fueled by natural gas. Furnace-fueled heat covers the duration of your home, whereas fireplace heat sticks to the area it’s flowing from.
Air Handler
Air handlers effectively ‘handle’ the flow of hot or cool air throughout your home, as they create both temperatures to solidify an even flow of air. When you use your HVAC’s heat pump in tandem with your air handler, you maximize the efficiency of your HVAC system in its entirety.
Ductwork
Air flows through your HVAC ‘ducts’ or constructed openings made of metal that allow the passage of air. Ensure maximum airflow by allowing us at Semper Fi Air to properly install your home’s ductwork. Ductwork can collect debris over time, so it is also important to conduct exponential maintenance during the fall season.
Humidifier & Dehumidifier
Applicable to all shades of HVAC units, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers allow you amplified control over the humidity in your home. If you live in an arid climate, this might be an essential component for you and your family even during the fall season. Dehumidifiers strip homes of humid air, cycling in cooler air, while humidifiers add a layer of heat for those living in harsh, cold climates.
Whole-House Air Cleaners
An advanced function of an HVAC system is a whole-house air cleaner. In the past, air quality was conducted through a separate filtration system to achieve healthy air. With an HVAC system installed in your home, a whole-house air cleaner with sift through toxins to circulate healthy, illness-free air.
Whole-House Ventilation
The fall season invites feelings of warmth, coziness, and most importantly, renewal. Whole house ventilation allows for your home to retain a perfect combination of hot and cold air. You’ll never regret experiencing the clean, fresh air ventilated by a whole-house ventilation system as a part of your HVAC.
Thermostat
The thermostat encased in every HVAC system promotes a user-friendly, totally customizable experience for home and business owners. Your thermostat allows you to control the power, temperature, and duration of your interior airflow, all at the push of a button. With many advanced options from Semper Fi, you can gain wireless access to your property’s air from anywhere.
HVAC Maintenance Tips for Autumn
Autumn is all about sensory experiences such as feeling the crisp flow of cold air, watching the leaves fall off the trees, and coming home to a warm, pre-heated environment. Although so many of the classic autumnal experiences happen outside, it’s imperative to protect your sensory experience indoors by keeping your HVAC system in check. As your leading Las Vegas air conditioning and heating service provider, here are a few tips we recommend for maintaining the functionality of your HVAC during the autumn months:
Check & Replace Air Filters
Your air filters take on the brunt of seasonal changes, as they collect remnants such as dust, allergens, and debris so your family is protected from summer’s wrath. Air filters sift through all of the illness-carrying debris that comes as a natural result of the seasons changing, renewing your home air fruitfully. Partner with us at Semper Fi for a routine check of your air filters. We are readily available in the Las Vegas area for air filter replacements as well.
Clean Vents & Registers
Vents and registers are single-handedly in charge of the accurate, efficient flow of clean air throughout your home, as they remain the only central access point in your home. If these passageways become clogged, you can expect to breathe in dust and debris without warning. Keep our inside presence of autumnal dust by cleaning your vents and registers throughout the fall season.
Inspect Your Ductwork
Although the metal encasing ductwork is made out of may seem relatively enclosed, your ducts still provide the free flow of air through a few central openings. These openings can pile up dirt and flying dust the same way your vents do, blocking efficient airflow from taking place. Call us for a professional inspection of your ductwork before your home experiences an increase in seasonal debris.
Seal Windows & Doors
This may feel like it goes without saying, but your windows and doors are prime suspects for letting in outdoor autumnal materials. Treat your windows and doors like streamlined openings for your controlled air flow to leak through. Every time you let central air flow outdoors, you’re letting your investment fly out the window.
Clear the Area Around Outdoor Units
As touched on earlier, there are parts of your HVAC system that operate outdoors. With the changing of the seasons, you naturally expect an influx of windswept foliage. These leaves can find their way into your outdoor unit, piling up to create an internal blockage. Make sure to clear the area around your outdoor units throughout the season to promote the quickest-flowing, most high-quality airflow you can.
Adjust Thermostat Settings
A timeless method of controlling costs during the fall season is to adjust your thermostat settings to fit the fluctuating outdoor temperatures. If you feel like the temperature outside allows for a quick break for your HVAC system, try cracking open a window for cool airflow. Turn down your HVAC thermostat to allow a neutral, soft flow without raising costs. Remember to stay vigilant against open dust flow through any opening by monitoring how much cool air you allow indoors. You can enjoy natural, cool air from the outside without compromising the air quality within your home.
Consider Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat
With Semper Fi in Las Vegas, you gain access to a variety of upgraded, smart thermostat options. These options allow you to harness the power of your home heating and cooling system with an app. These systems are integrated with an easily accessible application that allows you to power or power off, change temperatures, and decrease the speed of your airflow while away from home. Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat for more comprehensive access to your HVAC system.
Use Natural Heat to Your Advantage
In the same way that it is usual to use cool, natural air to your advantage, utilizing warmer nights to access natural access is a great way to lower costs. The goal of utilizing autumnal conditions to your advantage is to limit the amount of money spent on internally heating your home. This can be achieved with simple methods such as allowing heat to circulate through uncovered windows.
Prepare for Cooler Nights
A lot of the preparation necessary for cooler nights during autumnal conditions is based on adding layers. While you don’t want to add layers to your monthly heat bill, you do want to keep an abundant supply of blankets and warm clothing so you can resort to a costless, naturalistic approach to staying warm. This will save your family extensive amounts of money in heating costs, allowing you to reverse that money for fun fall activities.
Store Summer HVAC Equipment
A great way to preserve your summer HVAC equipment when it is not in use is to store it away in a safe, unreachable location throughout the fall season. Hide your portable fans and dehumidifiers away from fall or winter weather so they cannot be tampered with. This will allow your summer equipment to live longer, lowering future costs.
Learn About Your Heating System
As for most things, knowledge is power. The more you understand about your home heating system, the more you can effectively power, care for, and protect it. Unlock the full potential of your home heating system when you need it most, yielding the most reliable warm air during harsh weather conditions.
Test Your Heating System
A common misstep we see with homeowners with central heating systems is forgetting to test their heating system before the changing of the seasons. So when fall inevitably occurs, their heating system cannot successfully protect them from cold weather. Contact us at Semper Fi for inspection and or troubleshooting before the weather starts to become frigid.
Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Because carbon monoxide is odorless, it has been deemed a silent pollutant. Carbon monoxide is used to fuel most indoor heating systems, making homeowners internally susceptible to toxic air and contaminants. Utilize your built-in carbon monoxide detectors to monitor the presence of toxic air within your home, protecting you and your family from a compromising influx of unhealthy air.
Importance of Safety Measures
Home heating systems have indeed become commonplace, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve become completely safe. Though rare, indoor heating systems produce unexpected fires. A great way to prevent unsafe situations such as a fire is to check all fire-related outlets such as fireplaces or smoke alarms for proper functioning. Do not underestimate the power of a safety measure, especially where an HVAC system is involved.
Schedule Professional Maintenance
Verify the functionality and safety of your home HVAC system by scheduling professional maintenance before and after the fall season. If conducted before the summer-to-fall transition, you could be saving your home from extra costs and uncomfortable conditions. Take charge of your fall fun by having your heating and cooling system inspected for developing concerns.
Stay Comfortable This Fall With Semper Fi Conditioning & Heating Services
At Semper Fi of Las Vegas, we want you to take full advantage of the upcoming fall season. With the powerful backing of our time-tested air conditioning and heating services, you can enjoy cozy, fall fun without the lingering stress of HVAC maintenance. Know that in the event of a malfunctioning heating and cooling system, we’ll be readily available to eradicate all worries. Call us today for locally-operated HVAC repair services you can count on.
Enjoy fall to the fullest with the powerful backing of Semper Fi Air Conditioning.
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