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Steps to Prepare to Switch From Cooling to Heating This Fall

two thermometers side by side, one is hot and one is cold

Tips From Your St. Louis Heating and Air Company to Keep Your HVAC Healthy Through Changing Weather

HVAC systems aren’t just air conditioning units. Most of them are responsible for both cooling and heating your home. They play a tremendous role in keeping your home comfortable and your air free of contaminants like dust and mold.

As the summer turns to fall in St. Louis, air conditioning will need to be turned off and replaced with heat. Before making this switch, you’ll want to make sure your system is ready for the differences in function. Here’s some measures to take to make sure your HVAC is ready to switch from residential air conditioning to heating.

1. Complete All Routine Air Conditioning Maintenance Before Turning It Off

Furnaces sit idle for months during the summer months when people are running their residential air conditioning. Being idle for long periods allows dust, dirt, and other debris to accumulate around your unit. These can cause efficiency issues with your furnace, so you’ll want to make sure it’s properly prepped for the long winter ahead by contacting an HVAC professional.

Your St. Louis heating and air experts will come out and clean your equipment, change out old filters, check for duct leaks, test the ventilation, and optimize your thermostat, among other services. Don’t neglect these vital tasks as they have a big bearing on the life and efficiency of your HVAC system.

2. Don’t Change to Heat In Uncomfortable Temperatures

Many people make the mistake of waiting until their interior temperatures are almost unbearable before making the switch from residential air conditioning to heat. This results in icy cold interior temps while also pushing your system harder to heat your home. Savings is often associated with waiting to turn on HVAC systems, but the amount of work your unit has to do to regulate the temperature will wipe those away. Additionally, if there were to be an issue with your unit after switching to heat from air conditioning, wouldn’t you like to know before you can see your breath inside your home and need emergency repairs?

3. Refrain From Frequently Switching Between Residential Air Conditioning and Heat

While it is perfectly reasonable for an HVAC unit to have the capability to handle this switching, your St. Louis heating and air experts recommend against switching more than once per season. Constant switching between heat and air conditioning is hard on the components of your system and can cause them to break down faster. Nobody wants to turn their furnace off and have to start their summer with scheduling air conditioning service because they worked their system too hard.

Additionally, you should allow ample time for your furnace to ramp up to full power. It could take hours to days to get the desired thermostat temperature after your furnace has been sitting idle for a while. Make sure to significantly lower the thermostat before turning on the furnace, which will allow it to gradually increase to the desired temperature. This helps the furnace transition into being the primary HVAC function.

Contact Meyer Heating and Air For All Your St. Louis Heating And Air Needs

With the seasonal extremes in full effect in St. Louis, the transition from summer to fall can put a lot of pressure on your HVAC system to perform. It is vital to monitor and maintain your HVAC system during this shift to colder temps.

It would be terrible to be without the residential air conditioning or heating your family needs. Before fully making the switch, make sure you go into next summer prepared with air conditioning maintenance from our experts. We’ll make sure your system is running efficiently after a long summer of beating the heat in St. Louis with air conditioning.

If it’s determined a new HVAC system or residential air conditioning unit is needed in your home, call our team to get a free estimate. We’ll assess your home’s HVAC needs and get you set up for an installation. We make sure all parties are on the same page with itemized quotes and transparency from our technicians regarding the HVAC services we provide.

HVAC systems have been known to malfunction from time to time, so we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet all of your heating and air needs in the St. Louis metro. Contact us by phone at (314) 845-1929 or reach out online to schedule a service.

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