Fall Tips for Air Conditioning and Heating

Fall season has arrived in Greater Tampa Bay! And while that might not mean much weather-wise in Florida due to the fact that we still get warm weather this time of year, there will be times you need to use your heater.
We probably have it easier than most of the country, but it doesn’t mean we don’t need our heaters down here! So with that in mind, let’s take this opportunity to talk about Fall air conditioning and heating tips.
Prepare Your Heating System
Sure, whatever. It’s Greater Tampa Bay, who cares about the heater, right? Not so fast Mr. Skeptic! We’ve mentioned this before but the weather in Greater Tampa Bay can be very unpredictable. And no matter who scoffs at the idea that it gets cold here: it gets cold here! When that first very cold night hits, do you really want to find yourself with a broken heater? If your air conditioning/heating system has not had any maintenance done, you could find yourself without a working heater and nothing to keep your home warm. It’s important to get your heat pump checked and serviced every year before heating season. If you haven’t had maintenance or even an inspection done, now is the perfect time to do it!
Follow Up on Filters
So maybe you did have recent maintenance done. Still, you should check your air filters to make sure they are clean. Dirty air filters will make your heater have to work harder. If Greater Tampa Bay does have one of those rare consistently cold Fall/Winter seasons and you’re running your heater hard, dirty air filters will make your heating system work much harder. When those heating bills come in, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about if your filters are dirty. Air filters should be changed every three months. And if you haven’t changed yours in a while, do it now.
Get Your AC Checked
Yes, we know we already mentioned getting an inspection and maintenance, but we’re not afraid to be redundant here. If your AC unit has survived the blistering heat of the summer but you haven’t scheduled maintenance for the Fall, you could be looking at some serious problems later on. This is especially true if the heat doesn’t let up for Fall/Winter and you’re still running your AC every day. Scheduling an AC inspection and maintenance is very affordable, especially if you’re a (shameless plug alert) first-time Super Heat & Air customer! We offer a $29.95 Maintenance Special for first-time customers, so you should really take advantage of it! And even if you’re not a first-time Super Heat & Air customer, we still have very affordable ways to get your two annual maintenance services done.
Don’t Forget Your Ducts
So you’ve had your AC inspected and got your maintenance done. But what about your ducts? Are they intact and sealed properly? How’s the airflow coming through your vents? If your ductwork has holes or tears or any other damage, air will leak out before and will not circulate properly. Good luck trying to heat your home with leaky ducts! Less airflow means more time for your home to heat up properly. This will also force your heating system to run longer than it needs to and will waste much energy. Of course (shameless plug alert #2) you can always schedule a ductwork inspection with Super Heat & Air! And if your ductwork needs cleaning, we’ll take $100 OFF the service when you mention the ad that’s cleverly placed right below this paragraph!

Adjust your Thermostat
When it’s cooler outside, you don’t have to keep things so cold inside. Program your thermostat at a comfortable setting and make use of that “Auto” or “Energy Saver” feature. A programmable thermostat is a wise investment. Programmable thermostats give you flexible options to keep your home as warm or as cold as you like while you’re at home or away. Here in Greater Tampa Bay, if you usually keep the temperature inside at 70 degrees or lower, you can afford to set the thermostat a little higher while the weather is cool outside to save some money.
Open your Windows
This one is pretty obvious but because it gets so hot outside in Florida, people sometimes forget they have windows! If it’s nice and cool outside, save yourself some money and open your windows. We’re not saying to keep them open all day. But you can give your AC a break when the weather is nice outside. Just don’t forget to close them before you go to bed. Temperatures in Greater Tampa Bay have been known to drop into the 50s, 40s and on very rare occasions even lower. So if your house gets too cold and you need to crank up that heater, it’s going to take a lot longer to warm your house back up if you leave them open all night. And if you opened the windows with energy savings in mind, it would defeat the purpose of opening them in the first place!

Do Some Landscaping
Now that Fall has arrived, stuff will start falling off of trees. That’s why it’s called “Fall,” after all! If you have an outdoor condenser unit, make sure it’s clear of debris like tree branches and leaves, as falling debris can do some damage to your system. Since the weather is so nice outside, take advantage of it and do a little landscaping around your outdoor unit. Clear any obstructions such as bushes and weeds. A little landscaping goes a long way!
For more Fall air conditioning and heating tips or to schedule AC service, call us! Don’t forget about our Halloween specials too and enjoy this weather while it lasts! (813) 279-8213