When remodeling your home, it’s important to not forget your HVAC system. Dust, dirt, and other debris stirred up during remodeling can be hazardous to its health. Be sure to follow these preventive tips for your HVAC system:
- Review your remodeling plans with an HVAC contractor. Check whether your current system can handle the changed heating and cooling load and whether the planned ducts are adequate.
- Don’t run your furnace or air conditioner while work is being done. This will decrease the amount of dust it sucks in.
- Close and cover the registers in rooms where work is being done. If this is more than one or two or includes an intake vent, check with an HVAC contractor to make sure running your system with these vents closed won’t damage it.
- Perform cutting, sanding, and other dust creating tasks outside or in the garage whenever possible to reduce the amount of dust in your home.
- Use plastic tarps to block off doorways and other openings between the remodeling area and the rest of your home. Also be sure to vent the areas where work is being done to the outside so dust isn’t pulled into the other parts of your home.
- Clean as you go. Multiple cleanings will help minimize dust and reduce the risk that it’s pulled into your HVAC system. Sealing your vents is a good way to make sure no one takes a short cut and tries to sweep dust into your HVAC system.
- Change your air filters weekly during the project and as soon as work is completed. Even if they don’t look dirty, they’ll have additional dust buildup blocking the airflow and straining your heating or cooling system.
- Schedule an HVAC tuneup after the work is done. This will make sure you’ve avoided dust buildup and your system is clean and ready to run.
Want a pro to help you protect your HVAC system, make sure it’s ready to turn on again after remodeling, or just to provide preventive tips for your HVAC system in the Coastal Bend area? Contact CCAC today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC system maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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