Looking around your home will likely reveal many little things that will make a big difference in your quality of life if you address them…starting with your HVAC system.

If you live in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, you depend on your heating and cooling systems year round. Our weather may be unpredictable from year to year, but we can typically count on hot, humid stretches between May and October, and some surprisingly cold spells throughout the winter. And here’s one thing you can count on: ignoring your heating and cooling system is a recipe for disaster. You can almost predict your A/C will fail when the mercury is soaring or your heating system will crash the day temperatures plummet to record lows.

Taking the time at the beginning of the new year, and then throughout 2021, will make a big difference to your comfort, health, and budget.

Here are some things we suggest considering for your 2020 HVAC New Year’s Resolutions checklist!

Your air filter traps dust, allergens, and other particles in the air, keeping the air clean and fresh. Replacing it every 30–60 days (more if pets or people with allergies or asthma live in your home) is the number one thing you should resolve to do to keep your indoor air quality healthy.

If you’re like most people, you don’t use every room in your house every day…so why are you paying to heat and cool it? By adding zones to your HVAC system, you can target the areas that need heating and cooling. This can save energy, lower your monthly utility bill, and minimize the risk of system failure.

Optimal indoor temperatures fluctuate depending on who’s home and what’s going on. A programmable thermostat will allow you to keep the temperature low right until people are scheduled to come home. You can also program your thermostat to lower the temperature when you’re ready to go to bed, and raise it a few degrees around the time your alarm goes off. This can be done manually when it’s convenient and you remember, but a programmable thermostat lets you set up a schedule that is automatically carried out for you.

Did you know that a cluttered, messy home is much harder on your HVAC system than one that is clean and tidy? Dirt, dust, and other indoor pollutants build up faster inside your ducts and air filters if you aren’t cleaning regularly, and clutter can block the registers to your ventilation system, making it harder for air to flow. Donating or discarding what you don’t need (that is literally “gathering dust”) will help your HVAC heat and cool your home more efficiently with the dual benefit of passing along your surplus to someone who may really need it.

Vowing to do little things like dusting and vacuuming more often will have a huge impact on your indoor air quality. This is critical for the health and comfort of people who are living with chronic medical issues, but you will be surprised at how much more comfortable everyone will be.

The energy your HVAC system needs to keep your home comfortable isn’t cheap. Our parents knew that. (Remember, CLOSE THAT DOOR! I’m not heating the whole neighborhood!)? Now that you’re paying the bills, you’re probably more motivated to avoid letting any heated or cooled air escape. Definitely close the doors and lock windows for a better seal, but take it a step further and think about adding extra insulation to poorly insulated rooms. If you have an uninsulated attic or basement, take a closer look at those, too.

Make 2021 the year you up your game with regard to repairs and home maintenance. Have a notebook, binder, or spreadsheet if you’re the tech type and keep track of potential issues, dates of repairs, and maintenance schedules. It’s hard to remember details like when your weather-stripping was replaced or the last time your furnace got a tune-up.

No matter what it is, the odds that a problem will “fix itself” are pretty slim. It’s human nature to just ignore an issue in the hopes it might just go away but discipline yourself this year to face any potential problems head on. At the first sign of an HVAC issue, call us. There’s no need to be one of those homeowners who has to deal with costly emergency repairs because they waited too long. Make a commitment in 2021 to be more proactive!

If it’s more than 10 years old, your HVAC may be operating less efficiently. If you begin to experience disruptions in service, it could be time to make a change.

If you decide to update your HVAC system, do your homework. You want to be sure that you select the size and type that works best for your needs. The friendly, certified professionals at 24/7 Local HVAC will be happy to help you determine what you need and, as importantly, what you don’t.

Think seriously this year about signing up for a preventative maintenance contract . Our experts will come to your home on a schedule that is convenient for you to do all the necessary cleaning and repairs. Regular maintenance will also allow your HVAC team to identify potential problems with your heating and cooling systems and address them before they become big issues.

We wish you a happy, healthy 2021…now change your air filter!