Preparing Your AC Unit for Winter in Florida

A women bundled in a blanket drinking from a coffee mug

Floridians don’t always manage the cold weather well. But the truth is, whether they like it or not, chilly temperatures do sweep across the Northeast Florida region from time to time. Seasonal HVAC maintenance is important to keep you in your comfort zone, especially during the coldest months of the year. Follow these steps for HVAC maintenance when preparing your AC unit for winter.

Indoor Unit Preparation

With the temperature cooling down, you will be spending more time in the comfort of your home. Prepare your indoor unit before winter arrives to avoid expensive repairs. Common HVAC issues during the colder months include rusting, corrosion, nesting, damage from falling debris. Stay mindful of these possible challenges to avoid high winter maintenance costs later on.

Before winter, check your unit’s air filters and replace them if necessary. A clean air filter is important for maintaining a healthy indoor air quality during cold months. A general HVAC maintenance rule of thumb is to change your air filter every 30 days.

Lastly, instead of turning up the heat all at once, try gradually adjusting your thermostat each day. This will put less stress on your HVAC unit and allow you to avoid costly HVAC maintenance.

Outdoor Unit Preparation

Your indoor air conditioner isn’t the only concern for winter HVAC maintenance. Ultimately, taking care of your outdoor unit is just as if not more important to keep you in your comfort zone all season long.

Before winter arrives, turn off the AC function on your outdoor unit. Turning off the AC can keep you safe while performing maintenance on your unit, but also provides other benefits. Water with the potential to freeze could damage the condensing unit. However, if the AC is turned off, water will be kept out of the unit altogether.

Next, inspect the unit. Listen to the compressor for any unusual noises such as buzzing, clunking, or grinding. Look around the perimeter of the unit. Clear away debris, trash, weeds, and foliage that are within three feet.

When winter is finally over, cover the outdoor air conditioning unit. A specially designed AC unit cover allows for ventilation, prevents rust buildup, and deter animals who may nest in your unit while it’s not being used.

Testing Your Heater

A crucial part of winter HVAC maintenance is ensuring that your heater works before temperatures drop. Since our heaters are not running consistently throughout the year, it’s a good idea to test your heater before running it all day.

Test your heater by turning it on for about an hour. You will likely notice an odor, but that should go away fairly quickly. Make sure that the heat works properly and that your thermostat controls function well.

If your heating system blows cool air, does not turn on, or turns on and off frequently, give AC Designs a call. You will want to have a certified HVAC technician diagnose the causes of these winter maintenance issues and correct them as soon as possible before it gets too cold.

With the temperature cooling off, it’s more important than ever to take care of your HVAC unit. Seasonal HVAC maintenance will ensure a comfortable home year-round. Schedule an appointment with AC Designs, your trusted AC company in Jacksonville, FL, to make sure your unit is prepared to keep you in your comfort zone all winter long.