It may not seem like it yet, but another season is coming to an end, and things will start to cool down soon with the arrival of autumn. Changes like the kids going back to school are the most obvious sign, but soon temperatures will drop, and the leaves will change color.

Winter is coming after that, but there are things you can do in the autumn with your HVAC systems to help prepare for the harsher weather ahead.

Taking Care of Things Outside

For people with centralized air conditioning, one unit you’ll need to look at with the arrival of autumn is the condenser that is usually installed somewhere just outside the home. It’s designed to take in air, cool it, and then send it into your home where your furnace fan can then distribute it to the rest of the residence.

Because of that, a condenser is built with a large, open grating that is designed to admit air. Unfortunately, this also means that smaller objects, like leaves, can easily get in.

Leaves accumulating in your condenser will impact the efficiency of your unit, so you don’t want too many of them getting inside. One common mistake many people make is, once they know the condenser won’t be used for the season, they buy a cover or sheath from a store and wrap the condenser in that for the season.

This can hurt your condenser, as the open spaces are also designed to prevent moisture build-up. Instead of covering the entire condenser for the season, find a “lid” or another shield for the top of the condenser to prevent leaves from falling in. Once all the leaves in your home have fallen from the trees, leave the condenser exposed. It’s designed to withstand Indiana winters.

Your Indoor Preparations

Integrated HVAC systems that combine an air conditioner with a furnace are efficient, but they also mean that the furnace is used to move air in the home throughout the year.

For people that want to keep the performance of the furnace up, especially as the year moves into colder seasons, it’s a good idea to change the filter. It’s been working all through the summer, so a replacement is due.

Some people may even have the comfort of a humidifier in the home. This is a great piece of hardware to have for the drier, itchier and more uncomfortable indoor air of autumn and winter. But, like the furnace, it may need a filter change, or even cleaning to get rid of scales or hard water build up from past use.

Get Some Extra Help

One of the other great options for true seasonal preparations is bringing in some experienced professionals for more technical maintenance. Having experts come and look at your furnace and air conditioner for a bit of fine tuning and inspection is always a good idea.

They can even do more extensive general maintenance like cleaning your air ducts to make sure mold or other obstructions aren’t building up.

While getting experts in to help is a good idea, just make sure you pick the right people. A company with verifiable certifications and licensing, as well as good reviews, in the Fort Wayne, IN area is always a safe choice.