If you’re planning on spending much of the winter bundled up at home with the thermostat on high, it’s important to consider the effect this will have on your heating system. The more regularly you’re relying on it to keep warm, the higher the odds get of it becoming worn out or broken down. Not to mention the fact that each day you’re putting strain on it, your monthly heating bills are getting more and more expensive. That being said, if you can find effective ways to improve the unit’s energy efficiency and give it consistent breaks from operating, you can counteract and diminish a lot of those negative effects. There are many ways you can go about this, and you would be wise to get started on them as soon as possible.
1. Get a Furnace Tune-Up
When the weather gets the coldest, you’re going to want your heating system to be running at peak effectiveness and efficiency. By scheduling a maintenance tune-up, you can ensure that this is the case. The technician conducting the tune-up will also be able to check for any signs of problems on the horizon, so you can avoid dealing with a costly repair or frustrating breakdown in the middle of winter. Heating systems that receive tune-ups on a consistent basis will be able to provide heat more effectively, and they’ll be able to do it without wasting energy or becoming worn out. Ideally, you should schedule one of these professional tune-ups for your furnace on a yearly basis.
2. Clean Your Vents
When your heating system circulates heat throughout your home, it uses your air vents to distribute it to each area of the house. However, particles of things like dust, dirt, and other small debris can accumulate inside these vents. As a result, the air vents become somewhat clogged, and your furnace has to exert more energy and work harder to effectively circulate air through them. Additionally, the air that it circulates will be much more likely to be contaminated and unhealthy. If you take the time to thoroughly clean out the interior of these vents at the start of winter, your heating system will be able to circulate warm air more easily as the weather gets harsher. You can clean them by removing the protective panel with a screwdriver and using a vacuum extension hose to remove all of that dirt and dust.
3. Utilize Space Heaters
In most households, residents typically spend large chunks of their time in one or two rooms. If this describes your situation, but you still find yourself cranking up the thermostat for the entire home, you’re actually wasting quite a bit of heat and putting unnecessary strain on your heating system. If you invest in one or two space heaters and place them in the rooms where you’re spending most of your time, you’ll be able to give your furnace far more consistent rest. Typically, these space heaters are less expensive to operate than your furnace would be, and that cost is further offset by the reduced chance of that furnace breaking down.
4. Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
A furnace with a fresh, clean air filter will be able to run much more efficiently and produce cleaner air and more consistent heat for your home. However, if you neglect to change yours out regularly, the particles of dust, dirt, pet dander, and other contaminants will build up, eventually clogging the filter and necessitating that the furnace work much harder to pull air through it. Not only does this use up more costly energy, but it is bad for the overall health of the heating unit as well. Check the air filter of your furnace now before you start needing to have the thermostat turned up at all times. Replace it with a new filter, and make a point to check it every month going forward.
For over 30 years, we at Bratcher Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. have been proudly serving residents of Peoria, IL, and the surrounding areas. Our high-quality services include heating, cooling, indoor air quality, geothermal, and ductwork, and our goal is to keep you comfortable in your home all year long. We serve both residential and commercial customers, and all of our skilled employees are fully committed to customer service and satisfaction.
Let our courteous and knowledgeable pros handle your comfort needs. Call us up at Bratcher Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today, and schedule your first appointment with us now.
