Your reliance on your home's furnace is about to increase now that winter is approaching. You'll want to be as comfortable as possible in your mid-Ohio home by making sure that your furnace is running as efficiently as possible. Following are four ways to get the most from your furnace this winter season.
- Using a programmable thermostat – Heating your home throughout the winter obviously increases your energy bills. However, is it necessary to heat your home throughout the entire day, all season long? If the house is empty during the day, who's there to take advantage of the heat? A programmable thermostat allows you to set energy-saving daily and weekly heating schedules, for example lowering your temperatures several degrees while you're at work.
- Sealing and insulating your home – Leaks between the inside and outside of your home result in a substantial loss of heated air. Look for air leaks around your windows and doors, and check for openings in the basement, crawlspace and attic. This results in your furnace working harder than it should to replace that lost heat. Likewise, a lack of proper insulation results in thermal energy loss to the outside. Insulating your home will trap heat inside and prevent it from escaping. A professional energy audit will use sophisticated equipment to reveal where your home is losing heat.
- Proper maintenance – Keep the area around your furnace clean. This means don’t have boxes or furniture crowding the area, and make sure to dust regularly. You will also want to change the air filter at least once every three months, and as often as monthly during the high heating season. A clogged filter causes the furnace to work harder to deliver heated air to your home.
- Hiring the right contractor – Finding the right contractor to inspect your heating equipment is very important. Look for references and proper licensing.
Follow these four tips to get the most from your furnace. For more information, contact Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We have served the mid-Ohio area since 1965.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Mid-Ohio area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
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