Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

Winter will arrive in Australia before you know it, so now is the perfect time to start thinking about your heating requirements. If you don't have access to a fireplace in your home, another popular heating method in Australia involves using your existing air conditioning system. It provides heat to rooms of your home without the need for moving portable heaters into each room. However, after the heavy usage during summer, your air conditioning unit may not be ready for its heating days ahead. Here are three necessary tasks to prepare your air conditioning unit for winter.

Clean The Air Filters

Your air filters must be washed or replaced every three months, so use this change of season as a reminder to attend to this task. During summer, your air conditioner runs all day, every day in most states, which means a rapid buildup of dust debris on the filter. Dirty filters make your air conditioner uneconomical because the unit needs to work harder to draw air into it, and that means it is using more electricity than necessary. If you do not know how to clean or replace your air conditioner filters, your local HVAC contractor can do this for you.

Check The Outdoor Unit

Summer storms are legendary in Australia and when the wind rises, so does the amount of debris being carried in the air. Now is the perfect time to check and clean the outdoor portion of your air conditioning unit to make sure it is undamaged and ready for winter. Remove all debris built up on the outer case of the exterior unit so that air can flow through the vents. Additionally, peer inside the unit to see if the fan is moving freely and unobstructed. If it needs to be cleared, make sure you turn the electricity off before you take off the outer case to clear the fan. Alternatively, ask your local HVAC contractor to do this for you.

Test Run The Unit

Finally, rather than wait for the first cold day of winter to turn your heating on, give it a test run now. Select the temperature you normally use on a cold winter's day and turn the unit on to run for an hour. By doing so you can pinpoint any potential problems with the unit. Factors you should be keeping an eye open for include a lack of heat, a burning smell, or audible clues your unit is struggling to run. Any issues can be repaired by your HVAC contractor now and that ensures your unit is ready for the cold days ahead.