Getting Your AC & Furnace Ready for Fall

As evenings are getting cooler, it’s clear that fall is in the air. And fall in Utah means winter is right around the corner.

That means it’s time to think about getting your AC ready for fall and being done for the season as well as getting your furnace ready for the cooler weather ahead. Here are some ways to get your AC and furnace ready:

1. PREPARE YOUR FURNACE

Check out the area surrounding the furnace and make sure the area is clear and that you don’t have anything leaning up against the unit that could restrict airflow. To be sure your furnace is getting the air it needs to function properly, don’t restrict airflow from the combustion conduit from the attic with blankets or rags. And before you kick the furnace on for the fall and winter, now might be a great time to get it serviced. Manufacturers recommend you have an HVAC professional perform maintenance on your equipment annually, to be sure everything is working properly, safely, and efficiently before it begins the hard work of heating your home all winter.

2. REPLACE AIR FILTER

One of the easiest and most important things you can do yourself to get ready for fall is change the air filter in your HVAC unit. To do this, make sure the furnace is off, and then pull the filter out of the unit and hold it up to the light. If you can see through it, the filter is still good. If not, it’s time to replace it.

3. RESET YOUR THERMOSTAT

Start by making sure your thermostat is changed from the cool setting to the heat setting to signal your furnace to kick on. Next, you can verify that your thermostat is working properly by using a visual-read thermometer to verify the air temperatures. It’s also a good idea to change out the batteries in your thermostat once a season to make sure your thermostat continues to work properly. Finally, make sure that your thermostat is set to new temperatures during the fall so it can properly adjust to lower settings at night and throughout the day. A programmable thermostat that will adjust to nighttime and daytime settings, resulting in substantial energy savings as well as savings on your energy bills is good to have.

4. DON'T FORGET THE AIR CONDITIONER

When you are done using your AC and your outdoor AC unit sits in an area where it can be covered by debris such as leaves, twigs, heavy dirt, or other pollutants, cover your outdoor unit with a tarp for the winter. However, be sure to remove this cover in the spring! The tarp will restrict airflow if left on when the air conditioner is in operation, preventing it from doing its job. IF you are going to cover it, the best thing to do is also shut the power off to the unit so that it doesn’t accidentally come on while it’s covered.

don't forget the air conditioner - clean around it

5. CLEAN AND TURN ON HUMIDIFIERS

If you have a humidifier connected to your furnace, it has likely been sitting unused all spring and summer. Before you turn it on, make sure that the humidifier is clean so you can reduce the risk of spreading molds, fungi, or other pathogens through the air. Using a vinegar-water mixture to clean out the inside is inexpensive and works pretty well. Be sure to also replace old pads hard water and calcium can build up in the pad, preventing water from percolating through. So, check both the front and back sides for buildup. Also, If you’re not sure what to set your humidifier to, start at 50% and go from there. Finally, check the drain coming off the humidifier. Because it drains on the same line as the A/C, if it gets gummed up, it could cause a flood. Run water down the line to make sure it’s clear.