With the official start of winter just a few weeks away, it’s important to start preparing your home for cooler days and colder evenings. Once it’s cold enough to turn on your furnace, you want to ensure you’ve done everything possible to maximize the efficiency of your system to save money over the winter months. Your heating system is like any other machine in your home. When it’s not maintained or properly cared for, it can break or fail to operate properly. The better you care for your heating system, the longer it will serve you. When your furnace is operating efficiently, it will save you time and money. Caring for your heating system doesn’t have to be difficult or confusing.
We’ve compiled a list of 7 ways you can improve the efficiency of your heater before winter:
- Clean Your Filter: A clean filter will prevent dust and debris, like hair, from clogging your system and preventing your heater from efficient operation. When your filter is clogged, it’s harder for your furnace to pull air into your air ducts. This additional effort puts strain on your furnace, which impacts its overall efficiency. If you aren’t sure how often to change your filter, start by inspecting it monthly. If you check it and there’s nothing in the filter, then extend the inspection period. How often you change your filter will be impacted by your lifestyle choices. Factors like whether you have pets and how often you clean will contribute to how frequently you will need to change your filters.
- Smart Thermostats: When using a programmable or smart thermostat, you can control the efficiency of your heater. You can create a schedule for your heating system that lowers the temperature when you are away. A preset schedule can also ensure that you are wasting energy heating a home when you are sleeping. The usage reduction will not only improve efficiency, but it will also reduce energy waste.
- Add Curtains to Your Home: Adding curtains to your home can significantly impact your energy bill. You can prevent energy loss by closing your curtains in the evening. You can warm your home by letting in warmth from the sun by opening the curtains on the south side of your home in the morning.
- Scheduled Maintenance: By scheduling maintenance and having your heating system serviced, you can ensure your system is operating at optimal efficiency. Regular regularly servicing your heater, you can ensure you aren’t operating your system with worn or broken parts, which can place unnecessary strain on your heating system.
- Add Ceiling Fans: It may not seem like it makes sense to use a ceiling fan in the winter, but turning it on can help to circulate the warm air in your home. Heat rises and lingers at your ceiling. By using a ceiling fan, you can push the hot air down to the floor. This will make a home feel cozier while also optimizing your heater’s efficiency.
- Maintain your Home’s Humidity Level: In the winter, the air in your home can become very dry. Your sinuses, skin, and throat can be negatively impacted and make your home feel colder. Adding a humidifier to your home can help regulate the humidity level, which should hover between 35% and 40%.
- Seal Your Garage Door: Your garage door may seem like a nonissue since it’s not inside the house, but you can lose loads of energy if your garage door isn’t sealing when it closes. It should reach the ground without any drafts on the bottom or sides.
If you follow these tips, you can maximize your heater’s effort and save on your energy spending this winter. Call us today at (530) 223-5622 to schedule an appointment or for more information about our maintenance services.
