Most homeowners already have their furnace maintenance schedule on lock. However, there are some additional furnace maintenance tips that they may be losing out on to save costs and improve the system’s efficiency. This article goes over some little-known furnace maintenance tips to improve your heating system’s performance and reliability.
They include;
Changing Your Air Filters
Air filters are an important part of your home’s heating system. They help maintain indoor air quality and prevent allergens from entering your space. When blocked by dirt and debris, they put your furnace under pressure and affect your overall energy bill.
You can improve your furnace’s efficiency by changing the filters regularly. This can also improve your indoor air quality and help kick against common respiratory issues like asthma, sneezing, and allergies.
Pro Tip: Aim to clean your furnace filters monthly and change the filters every month or two to keep your indoor space healthy and clean.
Clean Your Air Vents Regularly
The air vents are the passage through which warm air is delivered throughout your home. Similar to how you’ll clean your home regularly, pay attention to the air vents to reduce pressure on your air filters. Cleaning your air vents can also improve warm air distribution throughout your home.
We recommend cleaning your air vents twice as regularly if you have pets or children. Doing this will significantly reduce barriers to air circulation, reduce air filter clogging, and improve your furnace’s energy use efficiency. To make sure that your vents and furnace are properly cleaned, hire a professional to do it. You can warm up to the best furnace service in Winnipeg with Abundant Air.
Pro Tip: Use a cotton spool or other feathery cleaning tools to remove cobwebs, dust, or dirt buildup in your air vent. Ensure to use protective eyes and face covering during the cleaning process.
Invest In Home Insulation
Home insulation isn’t just about installing spray foam in your walls and attic space. Insulation could also mean smaller investments like adding area rugs and carpeting on hardwood floors. It could also mean sealing the space under your doors to promote better heat-trapping within the home.
Insulation can help reduce drafts and lower the pressure on your furnace. Doing this will also significantly boost your furnace’s energy use efficiency and reduce your heating bill at the end of the month.
Pro Tip: Replacing worn-out or inefficient attic or basement insulation is a worthwhile investment in reducing overall costs. The insulation replacement costs will help you save on energy bills and furnace repairs.
Seal Entries and Exits Properly
One of the biggest factors threatening your home’s warmth is heat exchange. Drafts will enter through any openings in your door, walls, or roof. Most homeowners don’t pay much attention to their entries and exits, which are the commonest contributors to heat loss in the home.
Carefully inspect your entry and exit doors for gaps under, over, and on the sides. These gaps are potential loopholes for heat loss. Find a way to seal those openings and enjoy improved indoor comfort without necessarily cranking up your furnace.
Pro Tip: Cranking up your furnace every time to meet the indoor warmth requirement will damage the installation faster. You may also find your energy bill unbelievably expensive at the end of the month.
Maintain Good Humidity Levels
Dry winter air can often trick homeowners into feeling colder than they are. You can combat this problem by maintaining a decent indoor humidity level. Aiming for around 40% indoor humidity level can improve heat dissipation within the home. It can also help you feel more comfortable without pressuring your furnace.
An alternative way to keep the home warm is to install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are great for heat dispersion and heat transfer. They can help to distribute heat better across the corners of your room or home, thus avoiding cold spots.
Declutter the Area Around Your Furnace
Leaving clutter around your fireplace isn’t exactly the most energy-efficient decision. Such items may collect and trap heat that should otherwise have been distributed across your home.
We recommend keeping the area around your furnace clear to ensure efficient heat distribution.
Pro Tip: If you must leave items around your furnace, choose bricks. Red bricks are great conductors of heat. They can trap heat and release it to keep your indoor space warm while helping you save money on energy use.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
You don’t have to own a smart home to use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats can help you regulate your indoor temperature while saving you the stress of always tuning your thermostat. With programmable thermostats, you can set your upper and lower temperature limits and leave the device to keep your home optimally warm.
If yours is a smart home, invest in smart thermostats. You can use your smartphone to regulate the temperature remotely, even outside the house.
