HVAC Unit Winterization: When Do You Need It?

Your HVAC system is the heart of your home. It heats in winter and cools in summer. Without it, you would not be comfortable in your own living space. Yet a lot of homeowners don’t know that they need to winterize their HVAC system. The level of protection needed for this system is not typically something a homeowner can do on their own.

Why You Need to Winterize Your HVAC System

First things first; your AC condenser is on the outside of your home. It contains refrigerant, but that refrigerant is already cold and susceptible to extreme changes in outdoor temperatures. Despite the fact that this substance is used to cool air, it can actually freeze from gas or liquid to a solid and expand to the point where lines and pipes inside the condenser are damaged. The entire system needs to be insulated and protected over winter. That protection looks like a heavy-duty protective cover over the condenser to decrease the likelihood of freezing it.

Secondly, your heating system needs protection too. Vents should be insulated and anything that delivers fuel to your furnace should be insulated too. If your furnace is electric then just insulate the vents. It will help keep heating costs lower because the drafts and cold air of winter aren’t triggering the furnace to turn on.

When You Should Winterize Your HVAC System

Before the first frost in fall but after the last hot day of summer, winterize. This is the ideal time because you won’t be using your AC and you won’t need to turn on the heat just yet. If you can winterize sooner than that, you should book an appointment with an HVAC technician to have it done so that you don’t have to worry about it. Just be sure not to switch on the heat or AC while the technician is working on your system.

Judah Byman