7 Ways to Keep Your Furnace Performing Optimally This Winter
When the freezing weather of the Commerce, MI winter arrives, being able to depend on your furnace is imperative. If your heating system isn’t running at peak performance, it can make the cold season unpleasant for you and your family. Not only will your comfort suffer, but you may also have to spend a ton of money on your energy bills. Plus, you could end up dealing with a malfunctioning or broken-down furnace during the chilliest time of the year. If you’re a proactive homeowner, though, there are simple measures you can take to improve your heating system’s performance and energy efficiency.
1. Schedule Yearly Maintenance
Perhaps the most beneficial thing you can do for your heating system is to schedule professional maintenance every year. At Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing, our skilled technicians will give your furnace a comprehensive tune-up. This service aims to counteract the wear and tear on the appliance and keep it providing excellent results.
For one, our team will thoroughly inspect your heating system, checking the status of every important component and searching for any red flags. When they find something concerning, they take preventive measures to keep it from becoming a serious problem. They’ll also clean the furnace and make any necessary tweaks to its equipment. This will allow the appliance to run more smoothly and efficiently, improving your comfort and lowering your monthly energy bills in the process.
2. Seal Air Leaks
If your furnace isn’t performing well, one possible reason is the presence of air leaks in your home. While you may not notice them, tiny openings around your household can allow quite a bit of warmth to escape when your furnace is running. This makes it much harder for the appliance to heat your home effectively. Additionally, it wastes energy and increases the risk of mechanical failure for the furnace. If you want to improve your heating system’s performance, it’s worthwhile to search your living space for air leaks and seal any that you find.
The best places to check are around the outside edges of windows and doors. Even if you don’t see any gaps, make sure to feel around for any air movement. To seal the leaks you encounter, you can use weather stripping and caulk from any hardware store.
3. Switch the Furnace Filter Out Regularly
Another thing that could be impacting your furnace’s performance is a dirty or clogged furnace filter. When your furnace’s air filter is clean, it’s able to catch the vast majority of airborne contaminants flowing through it. However, as the filter catches dust mites, mold spores, and other pollutants, it will gradually become dirty. And if it’s not replaced, it’ll eventually run out of clean space. Once that happens, it becomes more difficult for the furnace to pull air through the filter. As a result, its energy efficiency, and your comfort, worsen. Plus, the appliance becomes much more likely to encounter a mechanical problem.
To avoid this situation, simply replace your furnace filter every couple of months. And if you’re not sure of the right time to switch it out, you can visually inspect its cleanliness to make an informed decision.
4. Get Your Ductwork Cleaned
The air ducts in your Commerce area home are the pathways for your furnace to circulate air. When they’re nice and clean, it makes it much easier for the appliance to do its job. So, it’s more capable of keeping you comfortable and maintaining its efficiency. However, your ductwork won’t stay clean automatically. Over time, many contaminants can accumulate in those air ducts, including dust, dirt, mold, rodent droppings, and random debris. To keep this in check, you should have your ductwork professionally cleaned at least once every two or three years. If you don’t, the furnace’s performance will start to decline, and your indoor air quality will suffer as well.
The other real benefit of duct cleaning is that it gives professionals an opportunity to inspect your ductwork. That way, they can find any leaks or other damage that may be present. Leaky air ducts can also have negative effects on your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. But if you discover the problem early, you can have it fixed before it impacts your household too severely.
5. Purchase a Smart Thermostat
Using a programmable thermostat in your home can make a major difference in your furnace’s performance. With a modern thermostat, you can ensure that your heating system is only running when it’s actually needed. As soon as the environment reaches your preferred scheduled temperature, your HVAC system will automatically stop cycling. You’ll never need to worry about accidentally leaving your furnace running full-blast all day while you’re at work and wasting energy. This will allow your heating unit to rest much more consistently, which will allow it to function more smoothly and efficiently when it is running.
You’ll save energy, enjoy more consistent comfort, and be less likely to deal with costly furnace repairs. Additionally, most smart thermostats are affordable and easy to install!
6. Keep Air Vents Clean and Clear
The air vents located around your home are the final stops for the air your furnace circulates. Before that air can warm you and your family up, it must pass through one of those registers. So, if any of your air vents are clogged or obstructed, it can block your furnace’s airflow. That puts unnecessary strain on the heating equipment and causes uneven temperatures in your household.
Approximately once per month, you should make a point to check and clean every air vent in your home. For one, you’ll want to verify that no one has accidentally put a piece of furniture or any clutter in front of a vent. Then, you can remove the protective cover of the vent using a screwdriver. Wash the metal vent cover and dry it before replacing it. By doing this regularly, you’ll improve your furnace’s energy efficiency, effectiveness, and health.
7. Keep a Clean House
Did you know that letting your dwelling get dirty can worsen the performance of your furnace? The reason why comes down to the dust, dirt, and other contaminants that accumulate around your home over time. If you don’t consistently dust and wipe down the surfaces in your living space, there will be more of those contaminant particles floating around. Eventually, those contaminants will get cycled into your furnace. That will not only cause your furnace filter to get dirty more quickly, but it will also impact the heating unit directly.
When your furnace accumulates dust and dirt, it worsens its efficiency and overall performance. As long as you give your place a thorough cleaning once per month, you shouldn’t need to worry about this becoming a problem.
When you need indoor air quality services or heating, air conditioning and plumbing installation, maintenance or repair services in the Commerce area, you can always count on Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing.
We’ve been a trusted name in the Commerce community since 1946. Contact Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing today to schedule an appointment!