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How to use this calendar
Print this page (or bookmark it on the fridge). The action items in each season are things a homeowner can do without tools, and the timing lines up with when the local service demand curve is quiet — so if any item flags a real problem, we can respond quickly rather than three weeks out during a peak heat wave.
Late winter — February to mid-March
The furnace has been carrying most of the load for two months, and the AC has been idle since October. This is the quietest service window of the year and the best time to catch issues before spring service demand hits.
Change the furnace filter
Second change of the heating season. A dirty filter is the number-one cause of no-heat calls during a February cold snap.
Test the AC on the first 70°F day
Switch it on for 15 minutes. Feel for cold air at a supply, listen for the compressor to start cleanly, look for a puddle at the condensate drain outlet. Catching a dead capacitor or a low charge <em>now</em> is a routine service call; catching it on the first 95°F day in June is a two-week wait.
Watch for the start of cedar pollen season
Northwest Arkansas cedar pollen ramps up in late February and can clog outdoor unit fins early. If your area is heavy, plan a mid-spring condenser rinse before pollen season peaks.
Book the spring tune-up before mid-April
Availability tightens rapidly the closer we get to the first 90°F day. Booking in February–March means you get your choice of times. See <a href="/learning-center/maintenance-seasonal/whats-in-a-tune-up">what's in a tune-up</a> for the checklist.
Spring — April to May
Cooling season starts unpredictably in the River Valley — sometimes a 92°F day in the last week of April, sometimes a cool first week of May. The equipment needs to be ready either way.
Complete the spring AC prep checklist
Eight items you can knock out in an afternoon — full walkthrough at <a href="/learning-center/maintenance-seasonal/spring-ac-prep-checklist">spring AC prep checklist</a>.
Clear the condenser coil after pollen season peak
Rinse from the inside out (top down) with a garden hose on a gentle setting. Never use a pressure washer.
Verify the condensate drain flows
Locate the condensate outlet (usually where PVC exits the house or attic). Pour a cup of water into the primary drain tee — if it doesn't flow through freely, the line is partially clogged and will overflow in July.
Check the outdoor pad and level
Winter freeze-thaw can settle a condenser pad. A unit that's out of level by more than a couple of degrees compromises compressor lubrication.
Book any deferred repairs now
If the fall tune-up flagged a wear-out part (contactor showing pitting, capacitor near end of life), spring is the time to swap it — while parts are in stock and schedules are open.
Summer — June to August
The AC is doing the work of the year. Filter interval tightens, humidity climbs into building-science territory, and small ignored issues start compounding fast.
Change the filter every 30–45 days
Not the 90-day interval the box suggests. Van Buren summer combines high pollen residue, dust, and 24/7 blower runtime. A restricted filter is the most common cause of a July "AC frozen up" call — see <a href="/learning-center/heating-cooling/ac-freezes-wont-cool">AC freezes / won't cool</a>.
Inspect the outdoor unit after thunderstorms
After every big storm, walk outside and clear leaves, twigs, and yard debris from the condenser fins. A blocked outdoor coil raises head pressure and quietly cooks the compressor.
Monitor indoor humidity weekly
A $10 hygrometer in the main living space. If it reads >60% RH for more than a few days in a row at your normal cooling setpoint, the system is losing ground — full playbook in <a href="/learning-center/air-quality/reduce-home-humidity">reduce home humidity</a>.
Book non-emergency service 1–2 weeks out
This is the peak service window. Real emergencies (no-cool at 95°F) get priority same-day slots; anything else works better with lead time.
Watch the electric bill for anomalies
Compare year-over-year with the SWEPCO bill. A sudden 20%+ jump is worth a call — refrigerant loss, restricted airflow, or a bad thermostat schedule change often show up here before they show up in comfort.
Early fall — September
The AC has one more month of real work. Furnace prep starts now, ahead of the first cold snap in early November.
Second-half filter check
Even if you changed on schedule through summer, a September check often catches the end-of-season dust load and gives the coil a clean handoff into winter.
Year-over-year electric bill review
By late September the summer's data is in. Big jumps compared to last year — controlling for weather — suggest a refrigerant leak or an airflow problem worth investigating before next season.
Schedule the fall furnace tune-up
Book by end of September for October scheduling. Furnace tune-ups back up quickly once nights drop into the 40s.
Consider IAQ upgrades in the shoulder season
Whole-house dehumidifiers, media filter cabinets, and humidity-aware thermostats are best installed in the shoulder weeks when the system is idle — see <a href="/learning-center/air-quality/whole-house-dehumidifier">whole-house dehumidifier</a>.
Fall — October to November
First heating day in Van Buren is typically mid-October in a normal year, with the first sustained freeze arriving in early to mid-November. The transition from cooling to heating is where safety items matter most.
Complete the fall heating prep checklist
Six items — full walkthrough at <a href="/learning-center/maintenance-seasonal/fall-heating-prep-checklist">fall heating prep checklist</a>.
Test CO detectors before the first furnace run
Battery test all CO detectors in the home before the furnace fires up in earnest. A dying CO detector's low-battery chirp always seems to happen at 3 AM in November.
Clear PVC exhaust vents on high-efficiency furnaces
The PVC exhaust termination on a 96% AFUE furnace exits the side of the house at a specific height. Clear leaves, spider webs, and anything else blocking the intake or exhaust caps.
Test heat on the first cool day
Run the furnace 15–20 minutes on the first sub-60°F day. Listen for clean ignition, feel warm air at the supply, and check for anything unusual in the smell — a first-run "burnoff" of dust is normal for a few minutes, anything longer is worth a call.
Reverse ceiling fans to clockwise (looking up)
Winter fan direction gently pushes warm ceiling air back down along the walls. Zero-cost comfort trick.
Winter — December to January
The coldest weeks of the year in the River Valley. Furnace or heat-pump runtime is at its peak; the safety items matter more than any other time.
Change the filter during the holidays
Indoor gatherings, fireplace use, and cold-weather dust from forced-air heating all combine to load filters faster in December than any other winter month.
Expect (and understand) heat-pump defrost cycles
In heating mode, a heat pump briefly reverses to melt frost off the outdoor coil — you'll see a wisp of vapor and hear the reversing valve click. This is normal, brief, and expected. Continuous thick ice at the base of the unit is not — that's a service call.
Use space heaters carefully
Space heaters remain a leading cause of home fires in the region. Never use one unattended, never on a rug or carpet, never within three feet of anything combustible, and never on an extension cord.
Call at the first sign of unusual noise
A new rattle, a delayed ignition, a burning-plastic smell, or a furnace that short-cycles is worth a call the day it starts — not "after the holidays." Small problems don't get smaller.
Check crawlspace vents and exposed pipes
Van Buren's January hard-freeze nights (~20°F) are enough to burst uninsulated pipes in crawlspaces. Close crawl vents and wrap exposed pipes before the first hard freeze.
For homeowners on our maintenance plan, spring and fall tune-ups are already on the calendar — this seasonal work is what a real service agreement should include. See our maintenance plans for what's covered.
Frequently asked
How often should I actually change my filter in Van Buren? +
1-inch pleated filters: every 30–45 days during peak cooling (June–August) and peak heating (December–February), every 60 days in shoulder seasons. 4- or 5-inch media filters: every 6 months, with an inspection at the seasonal midpoint. See air filters and MERV ratings.
When's the best time of year to replace HVAC equipment? +
Shoulder seasons: mid-March to early May, or mid-October to mid-November. Equipment availability is best, installer schedules are most flexible, and you're not fighting a comfort problem while the work happens. If a system is failing mid-summer, obviously replace it — but if the choice is voluntary, spring or fall is the answer.
Do I need to cover the outdoor unit for winter? +
No — full covers trap moisture and can encourage mold or rodent nesting. If you want to protect against falling debris (large tree above the unit), a top-only cover is fine. Otherwise, leave the sides open to air circulation.
How do I know if my tune-up is really doing anything? +
A real tune-up produces a written report with measurements — refrigerant subcooling/superheat, static pressure, temperature drop, capacitor microfarads, blower amp draw. A "tune-up" that produces only a verbal "looks good" was probably a visit, not a service. Full checklist at what's in a tune-up.