When you live in an area that gets cold during the winter, you want to have a good furnace. Proper heating can be the difference between being cold or comfortable all winter long. Here are four tips to help you keep warm this year:
1. Have your furnace maintained.
Furnaces need to be serviced regularly just like your car does. Ideally, you should have your furnace serviced at least once a year. According to How Stuff Works, the internal parts of your furnace should be lubricated for proper function. A furnace service can perform this necessary maintenance for you. If the furnace belt needs adjustment, your HVAC specialist can take care of that as well. In addition to annual maintenance, make sure to clean your furnace regularly. Dirt and dust can clog your furnace and cause it to perform poorly.
2. Address problems immediately.
If you notice any issues with your furnace, make sure to address them as soon as possible. When ignored, a malfunctioning furnace can lead to insufficient heating or even a fire. Loud clunking or banging noises during operation could be a sign of delayed ignition. This is an issue since it could cause gas to leak into your home, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Call your furnace service to schedule a repair appointment. An HVAC specialist will be able to diagnose and correct the issue.
3. Set your thermostat.
If you're like most people, you turn your furnace off while you're away at work to save money. Unfortunately, that means you come home to a cold house, which can be the last thing you want on a cold winter evening. If you have a programmable thermostat, take advantage of it and set your furnace to turn on an hour before you get home. If you don't have a programmable thermostat, turn the heat up to warm your house before reducing it to its normal setting.
4. Get a new furnace.
If your furnace is an older model, you might want to upgrade. Newer furnaces are more energy efficient which can save you money in the long run. As an added bonus, an energy efficient furnace is also better for the environment. After you purchase a new furnace, your furnace service can come to install it for you. Many furnace services will even remove your old furnace so you don't have to worry about proper disposal.