Is Your Heater Ready? A Fall Tune-Up Checklist for Central Texas
In Central Texas, your heater can sit untouched for seven or eight months. Then the first cold front blows through, everyone turns on the heat the same night, and that’s when problems show up. A little attention in the fall means your system is ready before you need it, and it’s a lot less stressful than calling for a repair on the coldest night of the year.
Here’s a simple checklist: what you can do yourself, and what a professional tune-up covers.
What You Can Do Yourself
1. Replace your air filter
A clogged filter makes your system work harder and can cause it to overheat or shut itself off. Check it now and replace it if it looks gray or dusty. Most 1-inch filters should be changed every one to three months, and more often if you have pets.
2. Test your thermostat
Switch your thermostat to Heat and set it a few degrees above the room temperature. Within a few minutes you should hear the system start and feel warm air from the vents. If nothing happens, try fresh batteries first. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, update your schedule for cooler months.
3. Expect a little dust smell the first time
The first time the heat runs each season, it’s normal to notice a faint burning-dust smell for a short while. That’s dust burning off the heating parts. If the smell is strong, smells like gas or electrical burning, or doesn’t go away, turn the system off and call us.
4. Check your carbon monoxide detectors
If your home has a gas furnace, water heater, fireplace, or attached garage, make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas. Press the test button and replace the batteries. It takes two minutes and it’s one of the most important safety steps on this list.
5. Clear around your equipment
Many Austin-area homes heat with a heat pump, which uses the same outdoor unit as your air conditioner. Clear away leaves, grass clippings, and anything stored against it. Indoors, keep the area around your furnace or air handler free of boxes and anything flammable.
6. Walk through the house and check the vents
Make sure supply vents and return grilles aren’t blocked by furniture, rugs, or curtains. Blocked airflow makes some rooms colder and makes your system run longer.
What a Professional Heating Tune-Up Covers
Some checks need the right tools and training. During a fall heating tune-up, our technicians:
- Inspect the burners and heat exchanger on gas furnaces
- Check for gas leaks and carbon monoxide
- Test the safety switches that shut the system down if something goes wrong
- Verify your heat strips or heat pump are heating properly
- Check electrical connections and the blower
- Let you know about anything that should be watched or repaired, with upfront pricing
Our fall heating tune-ups begin in early November, right as the season starts to turn. Catching a worn part then is usually simpler and less expensive than an emergency call in January.
Signs Your Heater Needs Attention Now
- It won’t turn on, or it turns on and off constantly
- Air from the vents feels lukewarm or cool
- Banging, squealing, or grinding noises
- A smell of gas or electrical burning (if you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company first)
- Your energy bill jumps without an obvious reason
If you notice any of these, schedule a heating repair before the next cold snap.
Make It Automatic with the VIP Comfort Club
The easiest way to stay ahead is to let us remember for you. Our VIP Comfort Club includes two seasonal tune-ups each year, one for heating in the fall and one for cooling in the spring, plus priority scheduling and member savings on repairs. It’s $195 a year for your first system.
Schedule Your Fall Tune-Up
Air Comfort Systems is a family-owned, Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer serving Austin and the Hill Country since 2015. Schedule online or call us at (512) 909-1235 to book your heating tune-up. Fall tune-ups start in early November.