It seems that with the weather whiplash we have been experiencing lately (you know, 80 degrees one day and 40 degrees the next) that Springtime in Virginia is officially here! Queue the itchy eyes and sneezing, the constant readjustment to sleep with the time change combined with the sun staying out longer, and everyone’s favorite- the war on stink bugs inside the house! But let’s look at the bright side; picnics and barbeques, Farmer’s Markets and festivals, and generally being able to be outside before the heat of the Summer kicks in 😎

With the constant change in temperature, your HVAC system will be pushed a little bit harder to maintain a comfortable level in your home. This can correlate on your monthly electric bill, so we are not in the clear yet on that front. So, what can be done now to help your HVAC system function correctly when that first 90 degree day hits us out of nowhere? The first thing starts outside at your air conditioner or heat pump unit. Make sure to clear out all the leaves and debris from this past winter that are around your outdoor unit. This will ensure that your outdoor unit will have free flowing air throughout the whole thing. Once you turn your hose bibs back on, go ahead and rinse off your outdoor unit as well. This is going to clear any dust or miscellaneous that may be stuck on your coil fins. Make sure to use light water pressure when rinsing your outdoor unit off; do not use a pressure washer or the stream setting on those sprinkler heads. Too much water pressure can bend and damage the fins on the coil causing a failure.

It’s also time to keep an eye out on your condensate drain. Your condensate drain is the white PVC pipe at your indoor unit. This is where you pour half a cup of bleach or vinegar once a month in the Spring and Summer months to ensure there is no clog in your drain. The top of the line will either come to a “T” with an opening to dump in the bleach or vinegar or it will just have an opening at the top of the line. We will do this at your routine checkup as well, but it does not hurt to stay on top of it. If your condensate line gets a clog, your system will leak water. This is an avoidable issue as long  as we are all vigilant!

Some smaller things to check on prior to the outdoor heat:

  • Check your thermostat settings and schedules to ensure that when the switch is made from heat to cool you have the right temperature for the right time of day.
  • Turn off your humidifiers- we will also do this at your routine checkup, but if you have a humidifier and you notice humidity it does not hurt to double check them!
  • Go ahead and turn the air conditioner on when we have a warmer day to ensure everything kicks on as it should.
  • Check that all your vents are open and not blocked.

Last thing and we know it’s been said before but we will say it until we are blue in the face, check your filters! Your air filters are arguably the most important thing to stay on top of when it comes to both heating and cooling. Remember during COVID how hard it was to breathe in a mask while doing any sort of physical activity; even something small like walking fast or for long distances? That is how your system feels when your filters are dirty. If your system can’t “breathe” it will ice up, it will turn off, and it will NOT do its job. Filters folks, they are the most important part of maintenance🪻. And remember, if you use one inch filters the highest Merv rating you should go is 8. Anything past a Merv 8 is going to be too tightly woven, which will have the same effect as a dirty filter.

With all that in mind, Becca will be starting the calls for the routine checkups by the end of this week. As you know, she tries to schedule them about 6 months apart but if you want it done sooner or have a certain day / month in mind please do not hesitate to reach out to her. She can be reached at the office (703-369-5528), via email, or you can text her work phone at 826-212-8168. Feel free to save her work cell number to text her anytime. She has also started to send reminder texts the day before your appointment if we have your cell phone number on file. If you are unsure if we have your cell phone number please shoot her an email to update your account. Alternatively, if you do not want a text reminder please just let her know ahead of time or when she sends the reminder 😊

The industry has made the full transition from R410A to R454B. As we go into this cooling season please keep in mind that due to this transition cost of repairs are reflected in that change of refrigerant. If you have an older system please know we will do what we can to keep your system going, but it might be time to start budgeting for a new one in the upcoming years. While the Federal 25C tax credit is no longer available, there are spurts of time when Lennox has Consumer Rebates. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Nextdoor to be updated when the new rebates come out every season! We also have financing available, because let’s be honest these new HVAC systems are expensive. On the other side of that expense is the fact that the new units are more efficient, which saves you money over time on your electric bills, and they are smarter so you can maintain a constant level of comfort in your home.

We will leave you with the excitement of warm weather, and a question- what is something you would like us to cover about our industry in the quarter 2 newsletter?

Happy Spring y’all 🌼