As temperatures dip to uncomfortable lows, you keep your furnace running for longer periods of time throughout the night and day. This can drive up your utility bills, and if you have an inefficient system, it may take longer to heat your home and will have a negative impact on the environment. Sometimes, it seems like the only way to save money is by leaving your furnace off for large portions of the day. However, there are a few simple ways to improve the efficiency of your system without sacrificing any comfort.
Change the Filter
Experts recommend you change the furnace filter about once a month if you use a standard one-inch fiberglass filter, and to clean a washable filter every month as well. Three-inch filters only need to be changed every three months, though this number may vary depending on usage. A dirty filter can restrict airflow to the unit causing your furnace to become overworked, which may lead to various repair needs and could cause the system to overheat.
Schedule Regular Heating Maintenance
Heating maintenance is a service that you can schedule every year with a trained technician. The standard steps of a heating system tune up include cleaning key components, adjusting some of the parts, and performing a full inspection. And if this is done by a trained professional, there is a chance that your system will gain back a large portion of the efficiency that is lost over the course of a year. The parts of your furnace may have worn down slightly since the last heating season. This is standard for any heating system, but a thorough cleaning and adjustment can restore it to an efficient state and ward off repairs for years to come.
Consider a New System
Sometimes a maintenance visit cannot help to overcome the wear and tear accrued by an older system. When your unit is beyond help from heating maintenance, you may consider an entirely new unit that offers greater efficiency and can give you a return on your investment throughout the years. Look at the AFUE (Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency) to determine how much energy your unit uses to heat a home and how much is lost to the surrounding environment.
Call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling to schedule a heating system tune up in Warminster today!