Top 5 Tips For Maintaining Furnace Efficiency

Tip 1: Preventative maintenance Annually, you should contact us to schedule your preventative maintenance visit. Preventative maintenance helps improve system performance. Your maintenance visit will include several measures which help your system operate more efficiently, such as lubricating moving parts, which eliminates friction that increases electricity use. Tip 2: Change your air filter Once a month, check your air filter. If it is dirty, replace it with a new one. Operating your furnace with a clogged air filter reduces airflow, making your furnace work harder to move heated air into your home. When you force your system to work harder, it uses more energy, reducing efficiency. Tip 3: Check for obstructions Poor air circulation can actually reduce the efficiency of your system, as well as cause indoor air quality issues. Take a look around your home and check to see that all registers, return vents, and any other vents are clear of obstructions. Move large furniture away from vents, and keep rugs pulled back from them. By facilitating proper air flow through your system and home, you’ll help your furnace operate efficiently. Tip 4: Inspect your ductwork Duct leaks can allow 30% of your heat to escape your system. When heated air is lost through the ductwork, your furnace must overwork to make up for the loss, placing added stress on the system that reduces efficiency. Visually inspect your ductwork, looking for disconnected joints, holes, fallen sections of ductwork, and tears or kinks in flexible ducts. If you find duct leaks, seal with an approved sealant or contact us for duct sealing. Tip 5: Use an efficient thermostat If you don’t already have one, switch from a manual thermostat to a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are a great tool which will help you conserve energy while keeping your home comfortable. Use the thermostat to program temperature settings around your household’s schedule, so temperature setbacks and energy savings will occur automatically.