Many Virginians welcome fall, but it’s not necessarily all football games and pumpkin spice. It can be a complicated season for your HVAC system.

You may toggle between your air conditioning and your heating, and the switch from cooling to heating and back again can put a real strain on your equipment. Heating and cooling can quickly become a large energy expense for most homeowners. 

We’ve put together a fall HVAC maintenance checklist to help you keep your heating and cooling unit in shape. We’ll answer questions like, “How do I prepare my HVAC for fall?” and “What does fall HVAC service include?”

Prepare for Fall Weather with This Fall HVAC Maintenance Checklist

1. Replace Your Air Filter

This is one of the most important fall HVAC maintenance steps you can take. When your home’s air gets dirty, it makes your HVAC system work much harder than necessary. Over time, this will increase the cost of your energy bill. 

A new air filter has benefits for any allergy sufferers in your home as well. Fall can be tough for people with allergies — ragweed, mold, and dust mites thrive in the late summer and fall months. Dirty air filters can worsen air quality and aggravate allergy symptoms. Replacing your air filter as part of your seasonal HVAC inspection can help remove dust, decrease pollen particles, and ensure a higher air quality.

2. Install a Programmable Thermostat

If you’re trying to answer the question, “How do I prepare my HVAC for fall?” one thing you can do is install a programmable thermostat. Installing a programmable thermostat and using it effectively allows you to set the temperature in your home every hour of the week, planning ahead for those times you won’t be home.

Many homeowners don’t think to adjust the thermostat when they leave the house. This can lead to more energy expenditure and a higher energy bill. Programmable thermostats, and using them properly, can also help you and your HVAC system manage the fluctuating temperatures we often see as summer turns into fall.

3. Clean Up Your Outdoor Unit

This is a necessary step for fall HVAC maintenance. Make sure to check your outdoor HVAC unit for debris and damage. Over time, seasonal dirt and debris can accumulate on the coils or get inside the unit. By removing the buildup (make sure the unit is off), you can ensure proper airflow throughout the system. 

4. Insulate Your Attic

Homeowners don’t always think to add this one to their fall HVAC maintenance checklist, but it can make a huge difference in how energy efficient your home is. For your HVAC system to work at its peak performance, it’s important to keep warm air inside, rather than letting it escape outside.

Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.

5. Schedule Your HVAC Inspection

Servicing your HVAC system can ensure that it runs properly, and cost-effectively. Because winter is one of the most demanding seasons for an HVAC unit, many homeowners choose to have it inspected in the fall. But what does fall HVAC service include?

Many companies offer HVAC inspection service agreements to give homeowners peace of mind. At CroppMetcalfe, we want to ensure you get the best service possible. We offer different types of agreements to our customers with varying levels of service. These services may include:

• Priority emergency service
• Planned maintenance inspection
• Discounted repairs
• Diagnostic and repair labor
• Repair part discounts
• Part repair and/or replacement

If you have any questions about your service, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced staff.

Prepare Your HVAC System for Fall and Beyond

If you need help with any part of your fall HVAC maintenance checklist, or if you have concerns about the health of your HVAC system, get in touch with us today. Our five-star technicians are the heating and cooling experts you can trust. Call us at 1-877-740-6657 or schedule a service appointment.