Now that winter is finally here, have you made sure that your household is prepared for the cold weather? Many homeowners don’t realize how important it is to winterize their heating system until after it starts to cost them serious money and frustration. You’re going to be relying on your furnace much more while the temperature outside is low, but as long as you’re proactive about getting the appliance ready for the extra use, you can avoid spending too much extra money on heating bills or suffering too much discomfort.
Maintenance Tune-Up
Regular furnace maintenance is a crucial part of proper furnace care, and a heating system that’s been properly cared for will perform much better during the cold season. These maintenance tune-ups allow the furnace to operate at peak energy efficiency, which will have a positive impact on your monthly heating bills. Since you’ll be running your heating system quite often over the next few months, this will be especially helpful.
By scheduling this maintenance now, you can greatly decrease the chances of the heating unit malfunctioning or breaking down during the winter, which will allow you to avoid paying for expensive repairs. Invest in one of these tune-ups now, and try to stay consistent about having one conducted every year going forward.
Insulate Your Attic
Warm air in your home always rises, so if you don’t have high-quality insulation installed into your attic, large amounts of heat are likely to go up through the space and escape the home through your roofing. To keep you warm, something has to make up for all of that lost warmth, and your heating system ends up having to work harder to do so. This is not only bad for the appliance, but it’s also expensive.
If you add good insulation, though, it will act as a barrier for that warm air, keeping much more of it trapped inside your house. This will result in you being more comfortable and your furnace being healthier. There are a few types of insulation you can install by yourself, but many homeowners choose to go with spray foam insulation. This type requires professional installation and can be a bit pricey, but it’s also very effective at trapping warmth.
Replace the Air Filter
Your furnace’s air filter has the important task of keeping the interior of the appliance clean and free of clogs. It does this by catching the particles of dust and dirt that are floating around and trapping them before they can enter the heating system.
If not changed out regularly, the air filter will become clogged up itself, and this will make it much harder for the furnace to pull the air through that it needs to heat up and circulate through the home. The longer the filter goes unchanged, the more strain it will put on the furnace, and the more likely a breakdown or malfunction will become. All you need to do to avoid this is check the air filter on a monthly basis and replace it with a new one whenever necessary.
Locate and Seal Air Leaks
The windows, doorways, and garage doors of your house may have air leaks without you even being aware of them. Even if they’re small, these leaks can be a significant source of warm air escaping and cold air entering. Much like when heat escapes through an uninsulated attic, your heating system will end up having to compensate for this, which will damage the appliance and have a negative effect on your energy bills.
Sometimes you can locate these air leaks by looking carefully, but you may need to feel around for the movement of air, which will typically be around the edges of the openings in your house. You can use caulking and weather-stripping to seal them up on your own, or you can bring in a local professional.
Since 1981, we at Air Care Heating & Cooling have been providing high-quality HVAC services to Kansas City, KS, and the nearby areas. Whenever the temperature gets extreme, the residents of our area know that they can count on us to keep them comfortable. We are committed to being available when you need us because we know how important your home comfort needs are. In addition to heating and cooling work, we also offer indoor air quality and water heater services.
Let us handle all of your HVAC needs the right way. Give us a call at Air Care Heating & Cooling now, and schedule an appointment with one of our friendly, skilled experts.
