Six Tips For Efficient Furnaces

By Author: Stevan Gerrand
Total Articles: 53
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For all homeowners in and around Markham, furnaces are an essential part of life. The temperature rarely gets above 27 degrees Celsius, and for most months of the year, it’s 14 degrees or below. The furnace must be operating at peak efficiency year-round because there are few months in the region when it’s not in use.

Here are six things homeowners can do to increase the efficiency of their furnaces:
1. Change the filters. This is the simplest maintenance task of all, but it is usually the one that is most forgotten. Every month you should be changing that filter because when it gets dirty, you’re hurting the efficiency of your system. In some cases, you might not need to change it every month, but you should still be checking it. If there is light still showing when you look through the filter, then it’s got a little more time on it. However, filters are relatively cheap, so it is always recommended that you just change them on the first of the month every month.

2. Keep those windows covered. When it’s cold outside, the tendency is to uncover those windows and let some natural light ...
... in to help battle the winter blues. However, blinds and drapes do provide an extra covering over windows, which are one of the places where most heat is lost. Just be sure to close those drapes at night when it’s the coldest and there’s no sunlight to provide any heat at all.

3. Remember to compensate for heat sources inside your home. If you’ve got a lot of baking or laundry to do one day, you might be able to turn the thermostat down a few degrees and save yourself some money. Many homeowners forget that common household appliances do give off heat that can be used to heat their home. Instead of letting things get uncomfortably hot, just compensate for the extra heat by turning the thermostat down a bit.

4. Make sure the furnace ducts are insulated. One area that is often forgotten about is the attached garage. Anything attached to the home can provide a way for the heat to get out, so it is critical that all ducts be insulated-even those inside the garage if it is attached to the home.

5. Replace furnaces that are more than 20 years old. Some furnaces will run well for many years, but if you’ve got more than two decades into your system, it might be time to simply purchase a new one. The systems made more than 20 years ago can’t be very efficient because the technology wasn’t as good back then.

6. Avoid blocking vents throughout the home. Sometimes saving money on your heating bill is as simple as moving some furniture around. It might seem like an OK idea to have one of the vents blocked in a room that has more than one, but there are multiple vents for a reason! Even having a vent partially blocked or placing a desk over a vent can be harmful to your heating bill. Look for better ways to arrange the furniture so that no part of any vent is covered.

The cost of heating a home just gets higher and higher every year, but these simple things can help any homeowner lower their yearly costs. And when you lower your heating costs, you’re doing much more than simply decreasing your electric bill. You’re also putting less strain on your furnace, which should make it last longer as well.

Spring Home is one of the most trusted Markham HVAC companies. They also will take care of all the problems you’re your Markham air conditioning.