Fall HVAC Maintenance

As the saying goes, “Time and tide wait for no one.” Whether you’re prepared or not, the summer months and warmer weather are gone, moving aside for fall and cooler temps. That means here in Boerne and the San Antonio area you should think about preparing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system for fall HVAC maintenance.

Maintaining your heating and cooling equipment ensures it’ll run smoothly the way it should when you need it. Investing your time and money in these seasonal maintenance tasks goes a long way to protect both your Texas home and your HVAC investment, including your wallet. Well-running systems are more energy efficient, so they end up costing you less to run all season long.

Fall Maintenance for Your Air Conditioner

This is still Texas, so we may be using heat tonight and cooling tomorrow. Because of that fact, we can’t just forget about the air conditioning part of your HVAC system until the spring and summer months. Part of protecting your home and equipment is winterizing your cooling system and making sure that it’s still ready to go at a moment’s notice.

If you’ve already had your air conditioner cleaned and checked by our KCA Services professionals before you used it this year, you can simply ask our heating and cooling professional to winterize your unit while he or she is out cleaning and checking your furnace. You can compare the maintenance checklist to what ENERGY STAR® recommends.

Things you can do yourself:

• Clean off the outside unit (condenser) from debris and dirt. If involving water in the process, be sure to switch off the unit’s power or the circuit first.
• Remove any branches, tall grass, or brush within a four-foot proximity to the unit
• Insulate any exterior-exposed pipes with foam pipe covers, wrapping them with duct tape

Things to ask your technician to do:

• Clear drain lines and pipes to avoid having standing water in your system all winter.
• Clean the coil from dust and dirt.
• Check the refrigerant charge, belts and pulleys, and ducts.
• Clean and check the entire system if you haven’t had it done yet this year.

Fall Maintenance for Your Heating System

You should schedule your annual maintenance appointment for your heating system before you use it for the season, regardless if you have a furnace, boiler, or heat pump. This appointment shouldn’t be skipped, as keeping your heating system in good order will be sure it’s ready when you need it and keep it functioning properly throughout the season for you.

Things you can do yourself:

• Stock up and change your filters every month, especially if you have allergy issues. If you use pleated filters, you can change them every three months. We offer a monthly filter service as well. Sign up for our filter membership program here.
• Vacuum your vents to keep them clear of dust, avoiding extra filter buildup or decreased indoor air quality (IAQ). We offer duct cleaning and will come to evaluate your ducts for free. Call our office at 210-698-8520 for details.

Things to ask your technician to do:

• Clean and check your heating system, including (depending on whether you have a furnace or boiler) all the connections, controls, sensors, drains, igniter, ducts, pipes, burners, valves, motors, thermostat(s), and smoke/carbon-monoxide detectors, and instruct you on anything you could do between your service visits.
• Calibrate your thermostat to be sure the readings and heating are accurate.

Contact Us Today

Taking care of your HVAC system includes seasonal maintenance. With fall here in Boerne, Texas, and colder weather encroaching, it makes good sense to call one of our KCA Services professionals at 210-698-8520 or request service online now to schedule your fall appointment. Keeping your system in good working order so it’s there when you need it is one of the things we do best!