Tips To Help Your Furnace Keep Up When A Cold Snap Hits
Tips To Help Your Furnace Keep Up When A Cold Snap Hits
You have probably seen the forecast, so you know what’s coming. We expect cold temperatures in the middle of winter, but keeping our homes warm and cozy can be more challenging when the low temperature drops into the single digits or below zero. Your furnace or boiler is working around the clock to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. We’ve compiled a list of tips to help keep the heat IN and the cold OUT.
1. Change Air Filter Regularly:
One of the top causes of heating system malfunction is a dirty filter. When it’s frigid outside, your furnace needs all the help it can get, and a clean air filter will help prevent your furnace from working harder than it needs to.
2. Keep Air Vents Unobstructed:
Higher efficiency systems vent outside. Typically, these vents will be located near ground level and can become obstructed by ice and snow. The area around the vents must be clear so your furnace can vent properly. Inside your home, make sure all registers are open. Closing registers, even in unused rooms, can lead to pressure problems that affect your system. You can adjust them to reduce airflow - just don't shut them off.
3. Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
The higher demand on your furnace can cause additional strain on the system. As a safety measure, test carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they operate correctly.
4. Keep Your Programmable Thermostat Settings Within 3-5 Degrees of Desired Temperatures:
You may have heard that to save on energy, you should turn your heat down when you aren't home. However, when it is freezing outside, it is not recommended. Keep thermostat settings within 3-5 degrees of your desired at-home temperature. Sharper decreases in temperature will put stress on the system when you turn it back up and will lead to a spike in energy use.
5. Don't Skip Heating System Maintenance (Tune-ups):
Annual maintenance will help keep your furnace or boiler operating at peak efficiency. During a furnace tune-up our highly skilled and professionally trained technicians will give your system a thorough cleaning and inspection to help increase efficiency (and your comfort), decrease energy use, reduce breakdowns, and help promote longer system life. If you have a gas furnace, we will also do a thorough safety inspection and carbon monoxide test to help keep your family comfortable and safe. For added peace of mind, after we complete your boiler or furnace tune-up we cover your system with our Breakdown Free Guarantee!