CENTRAL TEXAS — As it gets closer to winter, Central Texans will start turning on their heaters.
An expert explains why getting maintenance on your heating system is critical to help keep your family safe.
“If there’s a cold snap and a lot of heaters break at the same time, you’re just going to be waiting," Brian Peters said.
"Unfortunately, that could be costly in the sense of comfort."
This could result in sitting for hours in a cold home waiting for a replacement part, and this could be the reality for many who don’t get maintenance done on the HVAC in their home.
“We don’t ever need the heat until we do," Peters said.
HVAC professional Brian Peters with Evergreen Heating and Cooling says that during the summer, they get repair calls all the time, but most people don’t take the winter seriously.
“We get to the fall and everyone starts to take a deep breath — 'I’ve made it I’m okay, my house is fine'," he said.
Many Central Texans may take that sigh of relief, and not get routine maintenance done on their HVAC unit.
Other things to keep in mind, include changing HVAC filters every 30 to 60 days.
Homeowners should also keep debris away from outdoor units.
“Leaves, bushes, or trees — that’s the air exchange that helps cool off or heat up the refrigerant, whichever process we’re doing,” Peters said.
He also says if you have gas in your home, you need to make sure fittings are tight and be sure that there are no leaks.
“All those really need to be done by a professional, or you need to be a trained professional to have a leak detector or a Co2 sensor or something in the home to protect you and your family,” Peters said.
If you turn your heat on and get that burning smell, Peters says that’s normal — it’s the collected dust on the heat strips or coils.
Peters told 25 News that it’s best to schedule those maintenance appointments before it gets too cold, that way if your heater is having issues, you won’t have to wait in line for any repairs.
