Your spring and fall HVAC checklist, step by step

What belongs on a spring and fall HVAC checklist

A spring and fall HVAC checklist is a short routine you do each spring and each fall. Spring covers the filter, the outdoor unit and a test run of the AC. Fall covers the filter, the thermostat and the first heat cycle.

Most of it takes a few minutes and needs no tools. The rest of the list is a short set of jobs that belong to a licensed contractor.

Spring steps before the AC runs hard

Start with the basics, because they cause a lot of cooling complaints. The HVAC overview explains how the phone line works if a step turns up a real problem.

• Swap or clean the air filter, depending on the type you use.
• Check the thermostat. Set it to cool, drop the setpoint a few degrees and make sure the display is clear and the batteries are fresh.
• Walk outside and rake leaves and grass clippings away from the outdoor unit. Keep plants trimmed back so air can move through it.
• Look at the vents and returns inside. Furniture and rugs should not cover them.

Then do a test run. Let the AC run for a while and hold a hand over a few vents. The air should feel noticeably cooler than the room.

If the air is warm, the unit shuts off and restarts, or you see ice on the lines, stop there. Those signs point to parts a homeowner should not touch.

Fall steps before the first heat cycle

Fall is the same idea with a furnace in mind. Do these before the first cold snap, not after.

• Replace the air filter again. A heating season runs the blower a lot, and a clogged filter makes it work harder.
• Set the thermostat to heat and replace its batteries if it uses them.
• Check that every vent and return is open and clear.
• Run the first heat cycle on purpose, while you are home and awake. Listen for the burner to light, the blower to start and warm air to reach the vents.

Pay attention to a furnace that lights and then drops out. Also note any new noise, such as banging, squealing or rattling. Write down what you saw and heard.

If a breaker trips, reset it once and see whether the equipment starts. If it trips again, leave it off. A tripping breaker points to an electrical problem, and that is contractor work.

Why a checklist matters in both seasons

Heating and cooling equipment gets used at both ends of the year. The NOAA weather station near Spanish Fork averages 60 days a year with a high of 90°F or more and 118 days a year with a low of 32°F or below.

For equipment, that means the AC and the furnace each get a real workout. A dirty filter, a blocked outdoor unit or a stuck vent shows up fast when a system runs hard.

Heating and cooling also share parts, like the blower, the filter and the thermostat. The guide on shared heating and cooling parts goes into what is worth checking when both seem off.

How do I check a carbon monoxide alarm?

Do this in the fall, when the furnace starts up again. Press the test button on each alarm and confirm it sounds. Replace the batteries if the alarm uses them, and follow the maker's instructions for how long the alarm itself lasts.

A furnace burns fuel, so the alarm is part of a heating checklist. It does not replace a furnace check by a licensed contractor.

If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone out and call emergency services.

The same goes for gas. If you smell gas, leave the house, then call the gas utility from outside. Do not flip switches or hunt for the source first.

Which tasks should a licensed contractor handle?

Some jobs look simple but carry real risk. A licensed contractor handles anything that involves the coolant in the AC, the electrical connections, the gas valves and burner, or sealed parts.

That means you should not add coolant, open electrical panels on the equipment, adjust gas valves or pry into sealed parts. A licensed contractor checks the wiring, tests the burner and measures the coolant with the right gauges.

Replacing equipment is a bigger job. Spanish Fork City lists HVAC replacements among the common projects covered by a residential permit. Ask the contractor whether a job needs a permit.

Where a contractor is available, the line connects the call to a licensed, insured contractor.

Next step when a checklist item fails

Switch the equipment off if you see ice, water at the indoor unit or a breaker that keeps tripping. Write down the symptom and when it started. Note which checks you already did.

Then read the HVAC overview on how the phone line works for Spanish Fork homes. It covers what the call involves and what the contractor confirms.