Safety Tips for Your HVAC System This Christmas Season
With Christmas looming around the corner, many of us will be busy decorating our homes with festive lights, trees, and ornaments. However, the winter season is also when our homes' heating systems start doing most of their work. For this reason, the HVAC system should be kept in perfect working condition during the holidays.
In this article, we'll share some tips on preparing your HVAC system for the cold holiday season.
Keep the vents open
While decorating the house, make sure to leave plenty of open space next to the air vents. A clogged air vent means poor ventilation in the house. Additionally, small debris and pieces of ornaments can get into the vent, making a mess of the HVAC piping and requiring a much more thorough cleaning than expected before the Christmas dinner.
Furthermore, improper ventilation can increase your energy bill, as the HVAC system needs to work overtime to warm and ventilate the house if there's a blockage. Be sure to keep decorations and Christmas trees away from vents to allow the house to warm up and keep the energy bills low during the spending season.
Beware of flammable items
Many holiday decoration pieces are made of paper, fabric, or a combination of the two. The tree might look good with them, but the furnaces and radiators can make these small bits into a real fire hazard. Be careful where you put flammable décor around the house, and make sure to keep them away from heating elements, such as open flame sources like fireplaces and candles. If you use lit candles as decorations, make sure to put them out before leaving the house or going to sleep.
Uncover the thermostat
If you're tempted to cover every bit of the house with decorations and lights to enjoy the Christmas cheer fully, be careful. A covered thermostat will be unable to do its job efficiently and could make the HVAC unit operate improperly. It's better to sacrifice some visual cheer by keeping your thermostat clear of obstructions and maintain some peace of mind and HVAC security during the holiday season.
Check the outside unit
While the outside unit of the HVAC system is built to be sturdy and endure winters, it still needs care and maintenance. Check the unit for twigs, dirt, or frost, and clear out debris surrounding it to ensure you can always have access to it in case of emergencies. Avoid putting decorations on or near the outside unit as well. A clean and clear outdoor unit will make your Christmas much more comfortable.
Schedule a maintenance inspection
While HVAC maintenance is best done in the late summer or early fall months before winter settles in, it's never too late. Scheduling a maintenance check-up before the busy Christmas holiday season fully sets in can save you money and provide you with the secure feeling that the HVAC system works at peak proficiency over the winter.
Evenflow Home and Commercial Services offer residential and commercial electrical, plumbing, and HVAC services in San Antonio, Schertz, Converse, Floresville, Elmendorf, and surrounding cities. Call us at 210-941-3503 today!
