Some Of The Items On This Spring Cleaning List May Surprise You

Your spring cleanup list should begin with your home’s HVAC SYSTEM, but it should not end there!

Spring-cleaning is an annual tradition, but there are some other duties that should be part of your springtime routine, as well. Most of the items listed below only take a few minutes to complete, so let’s dive in and get started!

1. Check your air-conditioning and heating equipment before the beginning of a new season. Turn on the system and make sure it is operating and then call ServiceMark Heating Cooling & Plumbing to schedule the Annual Tune Up to keep everything working smoothly.

Note: Annual tune-ups prolong equipment life and reduce the need for service calls.

2. Check and replace your furnace and air-conditioning filters every month. There are several types from which to choose, depending on your needs. Fiberglass filters last only one month, while other filters typically last three to four months. HEPA filters last up to six months and can be cleaned with a vacuum nozzle.

Note: The technician from ServiceMark will replace your filter for you.

3. Most air conditioners have a drainage hole on the base of the cabinet, beneath the evaporator fins. This hole needs to be kept clear in order for the air conditioner to work properly. It’s a good idea each spring to use a paper clip or wire to poke through the hole and clear it.

Note: If there is a clear plastic tube running to a condensate pump from this opening, you can clear the entire line and test the condensate pump for proper operation by pouring water in the top opening and watching it pump the water away. This is one of the many checkpoints a ServiceMark Air Conditioning technician will perform for you during an annual HVAC tune up.

4. Make sure weeds and tree debris are off the outside Heat Pump or Central Air Conditioning condensing unit allowing the unit to breathe Make sure shrubbery is not growing within 24 inches of the unit.

5. To keep a dehumidifier working properly, remove its housing and let the unit dry completely. Vacuum every accessible surface and crevice.

6. Clean your bathroom fans once a year. Take the cover off, wash it in soapy water and clean dirt off the fan blades with a toothbrush. Be sure the power is off when you do this!

7. Check the flappers on your toilets at least once a year. If they are showing their age, replace them before they start leaking and wasting water.

8. Remove all faucet handles and clean their insides to keep the screws from corroding. Use a rust remover if necessary.

9. Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year: when the time changes to daylight savings time and then back to standard time. While you’re at it, dust or vacuum the detectors to keep them working at peak performance.

10. Make sure you have a fully charged fire extinguisher that you can reach quickly and easily.

11. Inspect and, if necessary, caulk around your home’s windows and doors annually. That will help keep out heat and humidity in the summer and cold drafts in during the winter—and save money on your utility bills all year round.

12. Open and close all windows; do they all open easily, yet close tightly? If not, check the weather stripping. There are a number of different types to consider.

13. Clean out the gutters of winter debris and check them for damage from ice. Install gutter screens or protectors to help keep debris out of the gutters.

14. Make sure the gutters slope properly toward the downspouts. If a roof gutter is sagging, pitch it back to a level position by tightening its strap with pliers. The tighter the strap is twisted, the more the gutter will rise.

15. To prevent basement flooding, make sure there is at least three feet between the side of the house and the downspout’s outlet. Use one of the following methods to reach that distance:

• Add a downspout extender piece
• Add flexible hose
• Add a 3 foot long splash guard

16. To prevent foundation erosion, as well as basement flooding, build up soil around the house and slope it away from the foundation.

Our thanks go out to hgtv.com for supplying, in part, a Do It Yourself list for homeowners that want to get ready for the change in seasons.

Your local HVAC experts at ServiceMark Heating Cooling & Plumbing have added and refined this list, and stand ready to assist you and advise you concerning any of these Spring Cleaning duties.