Can your HVAC unit handle going from A/C to heat so close together?

CHARLOTTE — Big weather changes are on the way. It was 80 on Thursday and will be in the upper 40s by Friday night, more than a 30-degree swing in about 48 hours.

So, you may be wondering whether your HVAC unit can handle going from air conditioning to heat so close together.

The short answer is yes, your HVAC system can handle it. But there are still a few things to keep in mind.

Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke was with One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning’s Jim Inglis as he serviced someone’s HVAC unit in Pineville. Inglis says you should always have someone come check out your A/C or heat before turning them on for the season.

Technicians will clean out the dirt and check the components. This may sound like a money grab to some, but dirt builds up and parts may be on their last legs, which means your system may have to work extra hard to heat or cool your home. And extra work could mean higher bills or repairs you could have possibly prevented.

Going from air conditioning to heat or vice versa is more of a money issue than a safety issue.

Obviously, it may be too late for you to have someone come out this week, but try to line it up for next time.

“You can turn it on anytime you want, but it’s just the fact that you just don’t know what’s going to happen when you go to turn it on. Something could be going wrong or did go wrong and you didn’t know it,” Inglis said.

There is something you can do now, however. Make sure you change the air filters in your house regularly. That will take pressure off your units too. Inglis says to change them once each season, maybe more if you have pets.

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