Winters in coastal North County are mild, but nights in December and January regularly dip into the 40s, and inland neighborhoods get colder still. Because heaters here often sit unused for most of the year, a little preparation in the fall goes a long way. These four steps will help your system run safely and efficiently when you need it.
1. Schedule a heating tune-up
A fall tune-up is the single most useful thing you can do. A technician inspects the burners, ignition, heat exchanger, blower, electrical connections and safety controls, and on heat pumps checks the defrost cycle and refrigerant charge. It's the best time to catch a cracked part or worn component before a cold night. Our maintenance plans schedule a heating check every fall and a cooling check every spring.
2. Seal drafts with insulation and weatherstripping
Many older coastal homes were built without much insulation. Weatherstripping around doors and windows, door sweeps, and sealing gaps around pipes and outlets on exterior walls are inexpensive weekend projects that keep warm air in. Check attic insulation too; heat rises and escapes quickly through a thin attic layer.
3. Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat
A programmable or smart thermostat lowers the temperature automatically when you're asleep or away and warms the house before you get up. Because our winters are mild, a setback of just a few degrees can trim heating costs without any loss of comfort. Smart thermostats can also send filter reminders and alerts if the system stops heating.
4. Replace the filter
A fresh filter helps the heater move air efficiently and keeps dust that built up over the summer from circulating through your home. Check it monthly during the heating season and replace it every one to three months, or more often if you have pets or a lot of dust.
Safety first: Test your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms when you turn the heat on for the season. If you smell gas or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, leave the home right away and call 911 or SDG&E from outside.
Precision Air Inc is a family-owned, licensed HVAC contractor (CSLB #996275) serving coastal North County and San Diego County. See our heating and furnace services.
Need service? Call (760) 858-8000, Monday–Friday 8–5, or send us a message.