3 Things to Check Before Turning On Your Heat

As you prepare for dropping temperatures in Phoenix, you should consider whether or not your HVAC system is prepared to warm your home sufficiently.

We’ll outline three things to check before turning on your heat so you don’t experience an unexpected uptick in bills, wear, or chill during the cooler months of the year.

Three things to check before it gets cold include:

After you’ve completed the above checklist, you’ll want to schedule any necessary maintenance to address any problems you may have discovered.

Making sure that your air filter is clean not only helps during cooler months but should also be a regular part of your year-round maintenance. You should aim to replace your filter every 1 to 2 months as a dirty air filter can significantly impact the flow of warm air through your home.

When a dirty air filter blocks airflow, it is less efficient at stopping dust particles from circulating, causing build-up on surfaces and allowing you to breathe in contaminants. If you let that dirt and debris build up on the filter, it could lead to damage to your overall filtration and venting system, which would be an unnecessary cost that’s easily avoidable.

Below is an example of a clean air filter. If your air filter doesn’t look like this, it’s time to replace it.

If your unit is in an easily accessible space, it’s easy to check and replace your air filter yourself. Just make sure you’re purchasing the correct size of filter that your unit requires. After replacement, you can discard the old filter into the trash without issue.

Testing your thermostat to ensure every necessary function is working properly before the colder months start can save you a lot of frustration.

The first test is checking if your thermostat requires batteries and replacing them if necessary.

Another test you’ll want to conduct is that all of your thermostat’s functions have the right settings. Your thermostat should be on HEAT and the fan function to AUTO. Activating each setting individually with your preferred temperature settings and checking your vents for warm airflow will let you know if they’re running appropriately.

The FAN function determines when and for how long air blows through your home. When the FAN function is on the AUTO setting, it will only blow air when the temperature of your home dips below a certain point to ensure that your home stays at your desired temperature and does not overheat or become too cold. Not only is using the AUTO setting more energy efficient and less stressful on your whole AC system, but it's also more cost effective overall.

With the AUTO function on, you should notice that the FAN will turn on and off routinely to maintain the temperature setting you’ve indicated instead of continually running and consuming energy.

On the other hand, the ON setting for your FAN function will blow air for as long as ON is activated, no matter if it’s cold or hot air. When the AC continuously blows air, it puts undue stress on the whole system and does not provide the necessary warmth you’ll need during colder months.

You can also check the temperature gauge on your thermostat to ensure that the air in your home is reaching the temperatures you programmed. This test can tell you if your house could have an insulation issue affecting how well your home holds heat.

A vital aspect of making sure you stay warm is thoroughly sealing your home against the elements. Window frames can endure wear over time, and frequently used doors that lead to the outside can see cracks in the sealant that helps insulate your home.

You should check your window frames for any cracks and have them fixed and sealed. Also, check your door frames to make sure there’s no draft coming in from above, beneath, or the sides to make sure you have complete protection from the elements.

Making sure that all doors and windows close correctly will ensure that your house stays warm and to your liking through the winter, which will also keep you cool through warmer summer months.

If you find any broken or subpar aspects of your heating system in the process of checking it over, you’ll want to schedule maintenance to get the cause of the issue fixed as soon as possible. Allowing problems to continue can cause extra damage to your whole HVAC system, which will cost you more in the long run to fix.

Scheduling maintenance is as easy as reaching out to a local HVAC technician to come out and check on your property. You can verify credentials through the Better Business Bureau, so you can make sure that who you call is the right person with the right skills to work on your HVAC system.