Is your furnace ready for the heating season?
The first day of winter is less than two weeks away. Chances are cold temperatures have already started sweeping into your area. Have you made sure your gas furnace is ready to tackle Old Man Winter?
It’s important to know best practices for heating your home during the winter. You want to make sure you take steps to stay happy and healthy. See our tips below to make sure that you spend less time thinking about the comfort of your home, and more time choosing the ugly sweater you are going to wear to your next holiday party.
Winter HVAC Tips
Worried that your gas furnace isn’t going to reach your set temperature fast enough? Resist the temptation to dramatically raise your temperature settings! Raising the temperature your thermostat is set to does not make your home heat any more quickly. All you’re doing is raising your heating bill and damaging your equipment.
Do you have a portable space heater for supplemental heating? Make sure you turn off any portable heating equipment when you aren’t in the room. An unmonitored space heater is a major safety hazard.
Speaking of safety… make sure your fire alarm and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries. Test all of the detectors in your home to make sure they are ready to alert your family if there is a fire or the presence of CO in your home.
Do you have a fireplace? Make sure you close the damper when you aren’t using it. When your damper is open, your chimney acts like a vacuum. it sucks up the warm air in your living quarters. This can raise utility bills, cause longer system runtimes, and lead to increased system wear and tear.
Proper airflow is key to the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. Make sure you change your furnace filter before the start of the heating season. Not only is a dirty furnace filter a way to decrease airflow, but it can also dramatically lower the quality of your indoor air. Noticing more dust around your house? This could be due to a dirty furnace filter.
The most important thing you can do to prepare for a cold winter heating season is schedule preventative maintenance with your local heating and air conditioning contractor. They can make sure that everything is in working order and running as efficiently as possible.
Are you ready for winter?
Many people are trying very hard to save money on their energy costs. They are not only trying to save money, but they are also wanting to purchase a furnace that will not only use less energy but also pollute our environment less. The former Forced Air Furnace units that have been on the market have not been very efficient. Their AFUE rating has only been about 30 percent, which means that 70 percent of the money you are spending on your energy bill is basically going out your furnace flue. The United States Department Of Energy, in 1992, set new standards for new furnaces that come on the market.