As Halloween creeps around the corner, we’re all preparing to turn our homes into spooky wonderlands complete with eerie decorations and spine-chilling surprises. But during the excitement, there’s one thing that frequently gets ignored– HVAC safety.
Whether you’re summoning up haunted houses or fashioning a ghoulish environment indoors, it’s essential to make sure your HVAC system is in tip-top shape. Overlooking this can result in unexpected results, and you might even find yourself in need of an HVAC repair service.
To keep your Halloween festivities from becoming a terrifying nightmare, join us as the professionals at AC&R Services in Sugarloaf, PA look at important HVAC safety tips that will help you celebrate the season minus any unwanted frights.
“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, ‘tis near Halloween.” – A Witch’s Journal
The curse of the clogged filter
A dirty air filter is not unlike a curse on your HVAC system. It lets dust, allergens and other spooky particles circulate in your home. Wickeder yet, it puts a strain on your system, possibly leading to overheating and untimely failure. Replacing your air filter is a simple way to lift the curse and keep your system running smoothly. Need help in selecting the proper filter? Contact the experts at AC&R Services.
Hocus pocus, we’ve been talking about changing your air filter again. And we’ll keep repeating the significance of the air filter to ensure everyone gets the message. Of course, it’s always good to change your air filter routinely. Nevertheless, the fall season is a particularly good time to update air filters as new allergens are airborne and you’re also preparing to use the furnace more often, discharging air that has been dormant all summer throughout your home.
Yesterday, upon a stair, I met a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today. I wish, I wish he’d go away.
– “Antigonish,” Hughes Mearns
Be careful with webbing decorations
The fake webbing you buy at your nearby dollar store offers a low-cost way to get into the spirit of Halloween. Add to it some plastic spiders and the creep factor only intensifies. The HVAC specialists at Sugarloaf-based AC&R Services tell us that tray webbing can also get sucked into the vent with little difficulty, ending up in your HVAC unit, and clogging air filters. Use spider web decorations cautiously and stay away from using them near your indoor and outdoor HVAC units.
“My candle was nearly burnt out, when, by glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open . . .” – Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
The phantom of the blocked vent
In addition to fake webbing getting stuck in the vents, there are quite a bit of Halloween decoration choices that could accidentally block your vents. When vents are blocked by Halloween decorations, furniture or other things, it’s like a phantom choking your system.
These obstructions will make your HVAC work harder, possibly leading to a drop in performance and more costly energy bills. So, when you put up those decorations, be sure they are far enough away from your vents to permit enough air to flow in and out.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” – William Shakespeare
Set your thermostat just right for the big night
If you’re anticipating trick-or-treaters, keep the thermostat set comfortably, but not overly warm. After all, opening and closing doors for trick-or-treaters can let warm air leak out rather quickly, making your system work overtime to keep up. Set it a bit lower than normal while you hand out candy, and once festivities wrap up, you can bump it back up again.
Better yet, if your house has a front porch, that’s an ideal space to decorate. This means you can spend Halloween on your porch, giving out candy to trick-or-treaters if it’s warm enough. Doing so can put a stop to your having to open and close your door all night long and keeping the temperature in your home just right.
“Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, voices whisper in the trees, ‘Tonight is Halloween.’ ” – Unknown
Don’t cover your outdoor unit with decorations
At times, outdoor decorations are the most fun to put up but pay close attention to where you place certain decorations that are close to your HVAC system’s outdoor unit.
If you put an excess of decorations on or near the unit, they could spook airflow and trigger problems with the HVAC system’s functioning. In the worst cases, blocked airflow can harm the unit. The HVAC team at AC&R Services in Sugarloaf, PA recommends keeping at least 4 to 6 feet clearance around your outdoor unit for optimal airflow.
Bottom line: While it is tempting to cover the entire yard with scary decorations, it’s not always the best idea to have your outdoor HVAC unit as part of it.
“It’s Halloween; everyone’s entitles to one good scare.” – John Carpenter’s Halloween
Use the safest decorative lighting possible
Don’t let Halloween decorations generate more than just scares. Yes, decorative lights add quite a bit to your Halloween decorations, but it’s imperative to be extra careful when using decorative lighting and be sure that they have a high safety rating. You need always use safety-approved lights when decorating, particularly if you’re planning to place them close to your HVAC unit. Installing safe lighting can help avoid fires or other electrical hazards. Contact AC&R Services for more information concerning how best you can make sure your home’s HVAC system is safe this Halloween and beyond.
“And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming.” – Edgar Allen Poe
Keep flammables away from your HVAC unit
While we’ve witnessed numerous improvements in HVAC technology over the past few years, it’s crucial to remember that you’re still accountable for keeping your HVAC units safe, especially from fire hazards. Candles and other flammable décor ought to be kept as far away as doable from your HVAC unit. Not only are they fire hazards, but the wax from candles can wear down your unit. The HVAC experts at AC&R Services recommend using electronic alternatives like battery-operated candles, and glow sticks instead.
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
– H.P. Lovecraft
Some final thoughts
Including safety measures into your Halloween decorating plans is essential to make sure of a fun and accident-free holiday season. By keeping an eye on these HVAC safety tips from the pros at AC&R Services in Sugarloaf, PA, you can appreciate the festivities without fretting over would-be hazards to your HVAC system or your loved ones.