Tips to help keep your furnace running efficiently this winter

/

As we approach colder winter temperatures, it’s important to make sure your furnace is ready to keep you and your family warm. Like other mechanical items, if not taken care of properly, wear and tear can reduce operating efficiency.

Here are some things you can do to maximize efficiency.

1. Change your filter at the recommended intervals.The purpose of afurnace filteris to keep contaminants out of the blower fan. Contaminants include hair, pet dander, dust, allergens, and other things that are sucked into your air return ducts. Unfortunately, if neglected, the filter can restrict airflow. Always change your filter based on the manufacturers recommendation.

2. Maintain proper humidity levels in your home.As the humidity in your home begins to decrease, consider running ahumidifier. Moisture in the air helps keep your home warm. In addition, a humidifier can help prevent chapped lips, dry skin, scratchy throats, and nose irritation. Experts recommend a relative humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. To keep your home at the proper level you’ll need to buy a hygrometer, which measures temperature and relative humidity.


3. Turn on your ceiling fans. While it can seem counter intuitive to run your fan during the winter months, there are benefits, including it:

  • Moves cool air up and warm air down into your room to prevent it from escaping.

  • Allows you to reduce the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees.

  • Improves your home’s airflow which can help prevent moisture problems.

  • Allows your furnace to run less, thus reducing your electric and gas bills.

To enjoy these benefits, there’s one catch. You must change your fan blades to spin clockwise. Refer to your owner’s manual to learn more.

4. Get your air ducts cleaned. If you’ve lived in your home for a while, or you’ve recently completed a remodeling project, it may be time to clean your air ducts. Unfortunately, because your home is closed during the winter months, contaminants have no way to exit hence causing some possible build up in your system. A build up in your system can lead to reduced airflow. Benefits of cleaning include:

  • Reducing airborne allergens.

  • Minimizing lingering odors from cooking, pet dander, or smoke.
    Improving efficiency.

  • Creating an overall cleaner home.

5. Check your registers. Keeping your registers free and clear of furniture and clutter is important. If your couch sits over a floor vent or blocks a wall vent, this will reduce the amount of warm air flowing in your home. Or if your kid’s room is cold, make sure the vents aren’t covered with toys or clothes. Lastly, if you’ve closed some vents during the summer months because the air conditioning was too cold, don’t forget to open them up.

6. Have your furnace inspected yearly. To keep your furnace performing it’s best, be sure to schedule yearly inspections. Yearly inspections can uncover problems that if not addressed can lead to bigger, more expensive ones. An inspection may also indicate that a slight adjustment or tune up is necessary which is nothing out of the ordinary.

Posted by Scott Stueber on Dec 7, 2021 11:45:08 AM

https://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/tips-to-help-keep-your-furnace-running-efficiently-this-winter