Seasonal HVAC Guide for North Texas
A maintenance calendar for long hot summers and sudden winter freezes, with what to do yourself and what to leave to a technician.
Heating and cooling equipment around Sachse has an uneven year. The air conditioner runs for hours a day from late spring well into fall, and the heating sits idle for months before a cold front asks it to run all night. Most failures happen at those two turning points, so a few minutes of attention before each season does more than any amount of attention in the middle of it.
The calendar below lists the checks a homeowner can do month by month. Choose a season to see its months, and print the list to keep by the thermostat.
Maintenance Calendar
Month-by-Month Tasks
Choose a season, then press the button.
The Year at a Glance
| Season | Homeowner tasks | Tasks for a technician visit | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Change the filter, clear and rinse the outdoor unit, test cooling on a warm day | Cooling check: refrigerant pressures, capacitor and contactor, coil, drain line | Weak airflow, warm air, a unit that will not start |
| Summer | Check the filter monthly, keep the outdoor unit clear, watch the drain | Repairs as needed; a coil cleaning if it runs all day | Ice on the lines, water near the indoor unit, short cycling |
| Fall | Change the filter, test heating on a cool morning, test CO alarms | Heating check: burners, flame sensor, venting, heat strips, safety switches | Burning smells that linger, clicking without heat, cold air from the vents |
| Winter | Check the filter, keep the heat steady in a freeze, watch the heat pump defrost | Repairs as needed; checking backup heat on heat pumps | Ice-caked outdoor unit, short cycling, any smell of gas |
Monthly Filter and Outdoor Unit Check
- Slide the filter out and hold it to the light; change it if you can’t see through it.
- Write the date on the new filter’s frame.
- Walk round the outdoor unit: leaves, clippings, toys and plants at least two feet back.
- With the system running, check that the top fan spins and the sound is steady.
- Look at the copper lines for ice and at the ground for a pool of water.
- Check that the drain line drips outside while cooling runs.
Filters, Tune-Ups and Freeze Nights
How often should I change the filter?
Look at it every month. A standard 1-inch filter usually needs changing every one to three months, sooner in summer, with pets, or during construction dust. If you can’t see light through it, change it.
When should I schedule a tune-up?
For cooling, in spring before the first hot spell, and for heating, in fall before the first freeze. Calls pile up once the weather turns, so booking a few weeks ahead of the season leaves more choice of times.
What should I do on a freeze night?
Keep the heat running at a steady temperature rather than turning it way down. Open the cabinets under sinks on outside walls, let a faucet drip if the forecast is severe, and keep the outdoor unit of a heat pump clear of snow and ice from the roof. If the heat stops, call before the house cools down.
Should I cover the outdoor unit in winter?
Not a heat pump: it runs all winter and needs air across its coil. A cooling-only condenser can take a breathable cover over the top in winter, but never a plastic wrap that traps moisture, and take it off before you switch the cooling on.