HomeComfort guide
Comfort guideNotes for the house, written plainly.
What you can safely check yourself, what to look at each season, and when to stop and call. Nothing here needs tools beyond a flashlight.
Before you call
Five things worth a look when the house is too warm or too cold.
1Thermostat mode and settingHeat or Cool, set a few degrees past the room temperature, fresh batteries if it uses them.
2Breakers and switchesThe furnace or air handler switch is on, and neither breaker for the system has tripped.
3The filterA grey or clogged filter can slow airflow enough to freeze a coil or overheat a furnace.
4Vents and returnsOpen, and not covered by rugs, furniture or curtains.
5The outdoor unitRunning when the system calls for cooling, and clear of leaves, grass, snow and covers.
Through the year
SpringMarch – May
- Clear leaves and debris from around the outdoor unit
- Change the filter before cooling season
- Test cooling on the first warm day, not the first hot one
SummerJune – August
- Keep 2 feet of open space around the outdoor unit
- Check the filter monthly when the system runs all day
- Watch the condensate line for water near the indoor unit
FallSeptember – November
- Change the filter before heating season
- Test heat before the first cold night
- Test carbon monoxide alarms and replace their batteries
WinterDecember – February
- Keep snow and ice off the outdoor heat pump
- Keep furnace intake and exhaust pipes outside clear
- Keep supply vents and returns uncovered
Filters
The filter sits where air goes back into the system: in a slot next to the furnace or air handler, or behind a return grille in a wall or ceiling.
- The size is printed on the frame, for example 16 × 25 × 1. Take a photo of it before you go shopping.
- An arrow on the frame shows the airflow: it points toward the furnace or air handler.
- Check it monthly. Replace it when it looks grey or clogged; pets, dust and long run times use one up faster.
- A thicker or finer filter is not always better: ask the team what suits your system.
Safety
If you smell gas: leave the house, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not switch lights, appliances or the thermostat on or off on the way out.
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds: get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911.
- Carbon monoxide alarms belong on every level of the home and near bedrooms. Test them and replace batteries when the clocks change.
- Keep the area around the furnace and water heater clear: no paint, gasoline or stored boxes against them.
- Water near the indoor unit: switch the system off at the thermostat and call.
When to call
- The checks above look right and the house still is not.
- A breaker for the system trips again after you reset it once.
- Ice on the refrigerant lines or the outdoor unit in summer.
- New noises: banging at start-up, grinding or squealing while it runs.
- A burning or electrical smell that lasts after the first run of the season.