Maintenance Tips For Home Heating & Air Conditioning

Spring and Summer

General guidelines for keeping your home cool and efficient

• Have an Boyers 72 Degrees Heating and Air representative inspect your home's ducts and cooling equipment
• Clean or replace you're A/C filters every month
• Clean out rain gutters and storm drains
• Clean out and vacuum vents, baseboards, and ducts
• Seal any air leaks in the attic, basement, crawlspace, and also around windows and doors
• Check your attic for proper insulation (The U.S. DOE suggests a value between R-22 and R-49). Make sure attic is ventilated well
• Keep shades or curtains drawn on the sunny side of the house, especially during early and mid-afternoon hours
• Keep return and supply registers and grilles free from obstruction
• Keep debris from building up around outdoor unit and clean outdoor coil as necessary. Maintain at least 18”-24” clearance around outdoor unit so it can “breathe” properly

Extra steps you can take to save energ

• Install a programmable thermostat to preset temperatures for different times of the day
• Replace single-pane windows with newer double-pane models
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents to create a cooler feeling and save lighting costs
• Install awnings or plant trees outside the home to create shade
• Turn off appliances, such as computers and televisions, when not in use

Things you can do to improve indoor air quality and reduce potential health risks

• When adjusting clocks, change batteries in smoke alarms, as well as radon and carbon monoxide detectors
• Consider a ventilation system (ERV) to increase air circulation inside and add a healthy dose of fresh air
• Clean any water-damaged carpets and materials, or replace them
• Reduce the potential for build-up of allergy causing pollutants by keeping your house clean
• Take special precaution when operating fuel-burning appliances to avoid leakage
• Store and dispose of household chemicals in a safe manner
• Consider a high efficiency air cleaner or air purifier to clean the air

Fall and Winter

General guidelines for keeping your home warm and efficient

• Have an R.S. Boyers Heating and Air Conditioning representative inspect your home's ducts and heating equipment.
• Clean or replace furnace filters every month
• Clean chimney and check to see if your fireplace or venting system is working properly
• Seal air leaks in the attic, basement, crawlspace, and also around windows and doors
• Check your attic for proper insulation (The U.S. DOE suggests a value between R-22 and R-49)
• Close curtains or shades at night and keep them open during the day
• Clean windows on the south side of your house to maximize sunlight exposure
• Weather-strip doors that lead to cold outside areas
• Wrap and insulate waterlines in unconditioned spaces to prevent them from freezing
• Repair leaky faucets
• Keep return and supply registers and grilles free from obstruction
• Keep debris from building up around outdoor unit, if you have a heat pump system, and clean outdoor coil as necessary . Maintain at least 18”-24” clearance around outdoor unit so it can “breathe” properly
• Clean humidifier reservoir, pads, and/or nozzles every season

Extra steps you can take to save energy

• Install a programmable thermostat, so you can preset temperatures for different times of day
• Insulate the water tank and first six feet of hot and cold water pipes connected to the heater
• Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F. (For every 10-degree decrease in temperature, you may save 3%-5% on your energy costs)
• Install rubber gaskets behind outlets and use switch plates on exterior walls
• Install low-flow showerheads
• Turn off appliances, such as computers and televisions, when not in use

Things you can do to improve indoor air quality and reduce potential health risks

• When adjusting clocks, change batteries in smoke alarms, as well as radon and carbon monoxide detectors
• Consider a ventilation system (ERV) to increase air circulation inside and add a healthy dose of fresh air
• Clean any water-damaged carpets and materials, or replace them
• Reduce the potential for build-up of allergy causing pollutants by keeping your house clean
• Take special precaution when operating fuel-burning appliances to avoid leakage
• Store and dispose of household chemicals in a safe manner
• Consider a high efficiency air cleaner, air purifier, or UV light to clean air in duct system