Bay Area HVAC Preparation Tips
Winter is right around the corner. You don’t need an HVAC expert to remind you that you need to take steps, ASAP, to get your heating costs under control. Whether you run a small Bay Area business or own a home by the water, here are several ideas on how to conserve energy and save on costs.
1. Do all your fall/winter maintenance projects in one weekend.
Instead of tackling one or two projects every weekend, all fall, why not get all the “tough stuff” out of the way in a big “ready for winter” weekend? Involve your entire family — and neighbors and friends — and make it into a party. Clean your gutters, sweep the decks, put away the patio furniture, look for and eliminate leaks in your piping, inspect your roof for damage, and make a checklist of the important tasks that you and your friends cannot handle safely on your own.
2. Do not do all your winterization prep yourself.
Unless you’re a certified HVAC technician, handyman, or general contractor, you can get into serious trouble. The “DIY” (Do It Yourself) approach can often be useful when it comes to home maintenance. But HVAC inaccuracies can lead to injuries, fire hazards, electrical hazards, etc. Plus, you might invest a lot of blood, sweat and tears only to get very little efficiency.
3. Connect with an HVAC professional to deal with the “heavy duty” winterization projects.
A professional can check your furnace to make sure the filters are clean and the furnace is ready to fire up for the winter. If you have central heating, your HVAC team can clean and prep the air ducts. A U.S. Department of Energy study suggests that nearly 60 percent of a home’s heated air escapes through duct work, if the ducts are poorly insulated or if the connections are loose. A professional crew can vacuum out the ducts, tighten them, and remove problems like animal residue and other debris.
Other General Property Maintenance
Improving your doors and windows can also have a major positive effect on your home energy budget. An amazing amount of energy can be lost through a poorly insulated glass, even in relatively mild climates, like the San Francisco Bay Area.
Along those lines, consider wrapping your pipes to prevent a freeze out. Temperatures rarely drop below 32 degrees in Bay Area. But if/when they do, leaky pipes can cause mildew and mold and freeze, creating problems in your home. Not a pretty picture.
Lastly, check your chimney. Even if you got it swept in the spring, who knows what fell down there over last few months? Leaves, branches, and even animals might have gotten in – these elements can create fire and inhalation hazards.
Connect with the Bay Area HVAC experts at B.A. Morrison by calling 510-538-9817. Our family-owned company has been helping Bay Area homeowners and business owners like you for decades, and we have the tools, knowledge, and winterization systems to keep your place safe, cozy and energy-efficient.
