It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone and March is already here, but 2018 has drawn to a close and we’re officially into the New Year!* Now is a great time to start fresh with plans to make the year ahead of the very best one yet.

Many of us hope to be a step ahead by preparing to have a happier and healthier year than the last, and a major contribution to that is your indoor comfort and the air quality in your home. Now is an important time to make sure that all of your home systems are in good working order to carry you through the rest of the heating season and prepare for the cooling season.

There are a few easy things that you can do on your own to make sure that your home will be a safe and comfortable place to be from now to December! Here are a few of the things that we recommend doing:

Change air filters: You’ve heard us say it before, probably more than once! But, it is more important than ever at the start of the year! The air filters in your HVAC system need to be cleaned or replaced every few months, and even more frequently during the winter and summer months since your home is more than likely closed up for weeks at a time. With no end in sight to the cold weather, you’ll want to ensure that your heating system is able to run effectively and efficiently. Cleaning your air filters allows your system to run without needing to expend as much energy, saving you on heating costs. Doing so will also help to keep the air inside your home cleaner, which is especially important to those who suffer from allergies or asthma.

Change batteries on your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors: Did you know that you should be changing the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year? Many people don’t, and dead batteries in these detectors can mean the difference between life and death. Over 70% of all smoke alarm failures are due to missing or dead batteries. Since we aren’t able to see or smell carbon monoxide, we have to rely on our in-home detectors to alert us to potential exposure. Being unaware of carbon monoxide’s presence in our home can lead to serious illness or death. It simply isn’t worth the risk to go without working detectors, so take a few minutes to change the batteries in them now and set an annual reminder for yourself to replace their batteries with new ones, even if they still appear to be working properly.

Schedule annual maintenance: It is the start of a new year, so it is a great time to make sure that your annual maintenance has been scheduled. While this time of year can be a very busy time of year for us, if your system hasn’t been serviced in over a year, you’ll want to make sure to have that taken care of as soon as possible. If it has been less than a year since a professional took a look at your system and confirmed it is operating properly, make sure that you have an appointment scheduled well before the cooling season arrives.

It is the best way to ensure that your HVAC system will continue running throughout the year without interruption.

If you have any questions on what else you can do to prepare your system for the coming season, or if you would like to schedule your HVAC maintenance, give us a call at (252) 591-5438 or visit our website for more information.