Top 5 HVAC Tips For Utah Weather
Here in Utah, we’re no strangers to the four seasons. Between our fluctuating weather patterns and the dreaded seasonal inversion that gets trapped in Salt Lake Valley each year, our HVAC systems tend to take a bigger beating than those in other states.
Since our heating and cooling equipment is exposed to so many different, challenging elements, homeowners need to understand how they can protect their equipment from premature failure. Discover how you can keep your HVAC system safer in the Utah weather by reading our top five tips!
#1 – Invest In Your Indoor Air Quality
One of the biggest challenges Utah HVAC systems face is their uphill battle against the seasonal inversion. In Salt Lake Valley especially, smog gets trapped inside the region, forming a thick, yellow haze around the city. Sometimes the inversion is so severe that residents are advised against going outside (or letting their pets outside).
That’s why it’s strongly recommended that you invest in a proper indoor air quality system. Germicidal ultraviolet light air filtration systems are specially designed to combat bacteria, viruses, and other airborne pathogens, making them one of the strongest lines of defense Utah residents can install for their HVAC equipment.
#2 – Change Your HVAC Air Filters Regularly
For the same reason that an indoor air purification system is strongly recommended, it’s important to stick to a routine schedule for changing out your HVAC air filters. High-efficiency HEPA air filters offer the highest-quality protection for keeping unwanted airborne contaminants out of your home air supply.
If you’re wondering at what intervals you should be changing out your air filters, here’s a guide:
- For filters of 1-2 inches: Change filters once every one to three months
- For filters of 3-4 inches: Change filters once every six to nine months
- For filters of 5-6 inches: Change filters once every nine to 12 months
If you have pets or are particularly susceptible to the inversion’s effects, you may need to consider changing your air filters more regularly than the recommended intervals suggest.
#3 – Schedule Annual Heating & Cooling Maintenance
Regardless of where you live, annual heating and air conditioning maintenance is a must to keep your system from failing prematurely. Not only that, but annual HVAC maintenance is often required for you to keep your manufacturer warranty active.
If you don’t adhere to the terms and conditions of your manufacturer warranty, you could be stuck paying for repairs and replacements that would have been covered if you had scheduled a tune-up.
Scheduling routine heating and cooling maintenance also gives your system these benefits:
- Extended life span
- Improved reliability and overall performance
- Reduced repair requests and comfort expenses
- Increased home comfort
#4 – Consider A Whole-Home Humidification System
Utah is largely a desert, which makes it extremely dry. If your indoor humidity level is too dry, it can lead to irritated skin and eyes and even negatively affect your respiratory system.
Not all air conditioners and heating systems can properly regulate your humidity levels. Because of this, it’s recommended that you install a whole-home humidifier to help improve your home’s indoor air quality.
#5 – Be Smart About Your Home’s Thermostat
As we mentioned before, Utah is no stranger to frequent weather changes. This can make it hard for homeowners to manage their home comfort needs without the right thermostat in place. Programmable thermostats are great, but what happens when that random snowstorm in May sweeps through the Valley? Suddenly the plans you made to turn on your air conditioner before getting home from work don’t sound so great.
To keep this from happening, we recommend installing a smart thermostat in your home. Unlike a programmable thermostat, smart thermostats can be interconnected across your compatible HVAC systems. Some smart thermostats can be remotely operated from a smartphone app, allowing you to have total control over your home comfort — no matter what the weather might have in store.
Bonus Tip – Choose Mountain Home Services As Your HVAC Team!
Whether you’re new to the area or are a seasoned Utahan, when your HVAC systems need service, you need a team you can trust. At Mountain Home Services, our heating and cooling experts are here to help keep your systems operating smoothly all year long.
From our indoor air quality solutions to our emergency HVAC repair services, our team offers the comprehensive heating and air conditioning solutions your home needs to remain comfortable when it counts.