July 22, 2020
With the change of the seasons, it’s time to take the steps necessary to maintain home efficiency. Here is a brief home maintenance checklist you can use to focus your efforts on improving energy efficiency around your home and boosting the performance of your HVAC system at the same time.
- Find and seal air leaks: Air leaks can account for the loss of hundreds of dollars worth of energy over the course of a season. Locate gaps, holes, cracks and openings in your home’s structure and seal them with caulk or other appropriate materials. Pay particular attention to areas around doors and windows, around areas where the foundation and house frame meet, and around wall penetrations where pipes or wires enter your home. You can also have a professional energy audit performed that can pinpoint leaks and help you with improving energy efficiency.
- Clean gutters: Remove sticks, leaves and other material from the gutters and downspouts around your home. This will improve drainage and help prevent any water leaks that may occur because of clogged gutter drains.
- Check the roof: Inspect your roof for damage or deterioration, including missing shingles, holes or other problems that could lead to water leaks or energy loss. Have your roof professionally repaired if necessary.
- Trim plants and vegetation: Trim plants, shrubs, tree limbs and other vegetation so that there is plenty of open space between the vegetation and the walls of your home.
- Change ceiling fan direction: Ceiling fans help boost indoor comfort and HVAC efficiency. During heating season, direct fan airflow upward to help re-disperse warm air that has risen and accumulated near the ceiling.
- Check and test alarms: Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re working properly. Put in fresh batteries and test each device according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Wolff Mechanical has been providing full-service heating and cooling services to customers in Phoenix and the surrounding communities for more than 25 years. Contact us today for more information on fall home maintenance and how to get your home ready for the next season.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Phoenix Valley area of Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
