How to Prepare Your HVAC for Spring and Summer

People often ask us which time of year is best for HVAC maintenance in the Pacific Northwest. The answer is: you should do HVAC maintenance twice a year – once in the spring and again in the fall. It makes sense if you think about it, right? The temperatures are changing, and you’re about to start using a component of your HVAC system, the A/C or heater, for the first time in many months. It’s a good idea to have a spring and summer HVAC maintenance checklist in mind: it will allow your air conditioner will operate more efficiently, saving you money, and it can help improve its long-term outlook.

So today, let’s talk about how to prepare your HVAC system for spring and summer.

Spring and Summer HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Here in the Pacific Northwest, spring arrives in fits and starts. You might experience one or several “false springs,” a beautiful day that makes you think spring has sprung, only two weeks of rain to return immediately thereafter. The good news is that this fickle weather period offers the perfect opportunity to get your spring and summer HVAC maintenance.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Inspect and Test the System: The first thing you should do is perform a quick inspection of the system. See if there are any obvious signs that something is wrong. Does anything sound unusual? We just want to rule out any major issues right away.
• Clear Debris from Outdoor Unit – If you have an outdoor air conditioner unit, it can easily become inundated with plants and other debris over the winter. Take a close look at the unit. Remove anything that’s fallen onto or into the unit. Also, trim back or remove any vegetation that’s grown close to it. This will help increase efficiency, prevent problems, and reduce the possibility of pest-related issues.
• Clean the Ducts – If you haven’t had your ducts cleaned in a while, it’s important to do so. More than likely, there will be dust and other small particles in the ducts that you need to remove. If you don’t clean your ducts for the start of spring, you’ll likely have problems with poor air quality.
• Clean the Heating and Cooling System – You should always clean your heating and cooling system before winter, but it’s even more important before the start of spring. Cleaning your system before spring allows you to have a more efficient HVAC system. When your heating and cooling system is cleaned, it’s less likely that you’ll need to replace the parts that wear out over time.
• Replace Air Filters – If you have central air conditioning, you must replace your air filters before the start of spring. If you see that the filters are dirty or damaged, replace them before the start of spring to have cleaner air inside your home.
• Get a Smart Thermostat / Check the Batteries – A smart thermostat is a device that allows you to set the temperature in your home. This is great for automatically changing the temperature on your heating and cooling system. If you have a smart thermostat, you’ll have the ability to control when your air conditioning or heating unit turns on and off. It’s also great for improving energy efficiency inside your home.
• Check for Air Leaks – Air leaks can cause major problems for heating and cooling systems. If you have air leaking out of your HVAC system, it will cost you more money and make the unit less efficient.
• Consider a Dehumidifier? – Your air conditioner acts as a dehumidifier while it’s in operation, but if humidity is a big issue in your home, a dedicated dehumidifier might not be a bad idea. It can allow the air conditioner to work more efficiently in cooling the air.

Should You Get Professional HVAC Maintenance in the Spring?

If you’re not comfortable performing the checks on your HVAC system yourself, we highly recommend calling a company like Vanport Mechanical & Fire Sprinklers Inc. that specializes in heating and cooling maintenance services. Springtime is a crucial time of year for maintenance because summer is the most stressful time of year for any HVAC system. Not only that, but summer is also the most expensive time of year to operate your HVAC system, and this way you can be sure it will be working at peak efficiency.

In addition, if you work with the team at Vanport Mechanical & Fire Sprinklers Inc., our technicians will provide you with personalized advice on how to get the most out of your HVAC system all year.

Call Us Today to Schedule an HVAC Inspection!

In conclusion, spring and early summer are extremely important times of year for routine HVAC maintenance, and there’s a lot to do. Let these guidelines help you better enjoy your indoor environment during the spring and summer – and when autumn arrives, be sure to stay on top of your routine fall HVAC maintenance.

If you have any questions or concerns about your HVAC system or anything related to air conditioning and heating, please don’t hesitate to contact Vanport Mechanical. We proudly service the Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon metro area.