When fall finally arrives in Illinois, it’s a relief to be done with the summer heat. But just because the days of home cooling are past doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do until the snow starts to fall. Winter will be here before you know it, and autumn is the perfect time to get a headstart on winter preparation for your home.

Don’t wait until contractors are already booked up for the season, or your HVAC system breaks down and requires expensive repairs. Here are a few winter tips homeowners in Peoria and Bloomington should be doing now to avoid unexpected surprises during the coldest months of the year.

1. Tune-Up Your Furnace

If there’s one thing you want to be able to count on throughout the winter, it’s reliable heating. Emergency HVAC service calls are costly, and even if your furnace never completely stops working altogether, a heating system that isn’t working properly is still wasting lots of costly energy.

Rather than cross your fingers that your HVAC system will make it through another winter, a fall furnace tune-up from AAA Northgate One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® will help make sure your system is in good condition and capable of heating your home all winter.

Homeowners looking for additional peace of mind can sign up for our “preventative maintenance” program, where HVAC inspection and service calls are automatically scheduled for fall and spring. This allows you to head into the winter and summer knowing your heating and cooling systems are working properly.

2. Upgrade To Heat Pumps

Maybe your furnace is on its last legs, and a tune-up or service call just isn’t going to bring it back to life. Maybe you’re looking for a more energy efficient alternative to your old heating and cooling system that’s more environmentally friendly and dependable.

Electric heat pumps, sometimes called mini splits, are a very efficient method for both heating your home in the winter and keeping it cool in the summer. Central heat pumps can attach to your existing ductwork system, while ductless heat pumps can be used throughout your home in areas where your ductwork doesn’t reach.

The benefits of heat pumps include:

  • Superior energy efficiency

  • Lower heating and cooling bills

  • Ability to target individual rooms or zones

  • Versatile heating & cooling capability

Plus, as a registered Act On Energy Ally, AAA Northgate One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® can help qualify you for Ameren Illinois rebates as high as $1,200 when you upgrade to heat pumps as your home’s primary source of heating and cooling.

3. Invest in a Backup Generator

There’s no great time to lose power to your home, but being without electricity in the winter is by far the worst. The days are shorter, so there’s less natural light available, and without heat, the temperatures in your house will plummet. Depending on how long your power stays out for, your pipes could freeze and cause lasting and significant damage to your home.

Installing a backup generator means you can sleep easy at night knowing that when you wake up the heat and the lights will still be on, and you and your family will be protected from the harsh outdoor temperatures. 

4. Schedule a Home Energy Audit

What if you’re not sure exactly what improvements will make the biggest difference to your comfort (and energy bill) this winter? That’s where a home energy audit comes into play. 

An energy audit will help reveal whether your home’s insulation and air sealing will be able to keep you cozy and warm this winter or if you’ll just be letting lots of cold air into your home, wasting money and energy while overworking your heating system. Scheduling an audit in fall means there will still be time for insulation or air sealing if necessary.

Reach Out to AAA Northgate This Fall

Getting your home ready for winter by preparing for the fall means you can rest easy when it starts to snow, and that your Morton or Pekin home will stay warm all the way until spring. AAA Northgate offers HVAC repair for current systems or installation of new energy efficient equipment, as well as home energy audits, home performance upgrades, and more. Our team of BPI-certified energy experts applies the whole-house systems approach to all our services, so central Illinois homeowners will never head into the cold seasons unprepared again.

Take steps this fall to ensure a comfortable winter. Call (309) 204-9442 or contact us today and have your winter prep covered.