Heating HVAC Tips for Fall Season

Vito HVAC Service Manager Nolan Smith Shares His Top Heat Tips for Cold Weather

We all know that Fall Season is a Busy Season in The DMV.

As summer ends and kids head back to school, schedules get filled with practice and activities, the roads seem to be filled with more traffic and, of course, the weather is getting colder.

With so much going on it can be easy to forget about the important things you have to do to prepare your home for the oncoming cold weather.

The good news, is that Vito Services has been preparing homes in Rockville MD for Fall Season for almost 90 years. So, when your Fall Schedule gets busy, don’t worry, Leave it to Vito for all your Fall Maintenance planning!

Get Your Home’s Heating HVAC Ready for Fall

Getting your home’s heating system ready for Fall Season is extremely important in order to prevent potential issues as the weather gets colder. The last thing anyone wants is NO HEAT in the middle of the winter!

Vito Services HVAC Service Manager Nolan Smith, with over 30 years experience in the HVAC Industry, including the past 4 years as HVAC Service Manager at Vito Services, shares his Top-5 HEATING Tips to Prepare for Fall.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

While we can’t predict the future, we all know that IF there was a problem with our heating system, we’d rather find out about it now than, say on a cold winter night, right? Having your HVAC (which stands for Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) heating system checked in the fall can potentially save you from major issues once the cold season starts.

Nolan’s HVAC Maintenance Tips:

• It’s always a good idea to schedule an HVAC Maintenance, or Heating Tune-Up, with a licensed professional HVAC contractor, such as Vito Services, before the season starts. Vito technicians will inspect, tune-up and clean your heating components so they will be ready to run at a high-efficiency once it gets cold.
• There are many other reasons to schedule Heating Maintenance, especially with the warranties on new units, but the main thing is it’s going to have to work harder in the colder months and getting your heating unit checked now will make sure it’s being energy efficiency throughout the cold season without breaking down.

Clean or Replace Air Filters

Dirty or clogged air filters can restrict airflow, reducing the efficiency of even the highest SER-Rated heating systems. Dirty filters also accumulate dust and dirt that gets circulated throughout your home.

Nolan’s HVAC Air Filter Tips:

• Check your Air Filters regularly … I would say for peak performance you want to change them about every 2-3 months, depending on the air quality inside your home and stuff that could be around your neighborhood (like construction). In the fall, with more allergens in the air, clean air filters will definitely help you improve your indoor air quality.
• Vito Services can install new air filters on maintenance and tune-ups, or install customer-supplied air filters at any time.

Adjust Thermostat Settings

As the weather gets cooler, it’s important to adjust your thermostat accordingly. Ideally, for best energy efficiency, lower your thermostat a few degrees during the day when you’re not at home or at night when you’re sleeping.

A Smart Thermostat (i.e., Programmable Thermostat) can help you automate temperature changes throughout the day during the fall season, which will save you energy and money on heating costs.

Nolan’s Smart Thermostat Tips

• If you don’t already have one, you probably want to look at adding a New Smart Thermostat (i.e., Programmable Thermostat). With features like Remote Heat Control and Heating Schedules, a Smart Thermostat can help optimize your HVAC’s performance and save you money in the long run!
• Also, a lot of people have a Smart Thermostat but don’t think you’re using it correctly and miss out on a lot of the intended great features of having the smart thermo-stat. If you have a Smart Thermostat and have questions or don’t feel as though you are using to the best of its abilities, ask your Vito HVAC Technician on your next Vito VIP Maintenance or Heating Tune-Up, we’ll be happy to help!

Seal Air Leaks

One good thing about cold weather is it’s not hard to find, especially if you have drafts around openings in your home.

Nolan’s Air Leak Recommendations

• Inspect your home for drafts and air leaks especially around windows, doors and other openings.
• Vito Services’ HVAC technicians can seal gaps or cracks with weatherstripping or caulk to prevent warm air from escaping and cold air from entering. Proper insulating and sealing can significantly reduce the workload on your HVAC heating system.

Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector

As your family moves indoors during the cold months and the gas appliances get used more and more, it’s extremely important to make sure you have a working and operable Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector.

• If you do not have a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector, speak to your Vito HVAC technician immediately about installing as soon as possible.
• If you have CO Detector, ensure that it is in working order and test batteries to make sure they won’t run out during the winter.

Since 1934, Vito Services has been a mainstay of Washington, DC, and Maryland. We also have been through many seasons and know a thing or two about this area’s heating elements; from boilers, to furnaces, heat pumps and mini splits, Vito HVAC Technicians have seen, worked on and fixed them all! Nolan wanted to share these fall heating tips with Vito customers to help ensure your home’s heating system remains in good working condition throughout the fall and into the winter! Leave it to Vito for all of your home HVAC heating needs!