The Winter Olympics are in full swing, and you’re prepared! But have you prepared your furnace to work all through the winter?
Many people aren’t aware of all the things they can do to ensure their furnace is maintained through the cold months. And yes, some of the maintenance has to be left up to the professionals at Weather Master. But there are still so many things you can do yourself to keep your furnace running smoothly and save money at the same time!
1. Change the air filter
Almost every homeowner is guilty of this. “But it’s not dirty,” you say! It gets dirty faster than you think! The average-sized home accumulates 40 pounds of dust a year – and that’s getting caught right in the air filter. Your furnace must work harder when the filter is clogged up and can cut down on efficiency by as much as 15%. So please, it only takes a moment … Don’t forget to change your filter!
2. Use a smart thermostat / programmable thermostat
So many people waste money by leaving their thermostat settings at the same temperature day and night. But do you know how much it costs to run your furnace during all those hours when no one is home? Or the late-night hours when everyone’s asleep (and thus not experiencing the slight cold)? If you never change your thermostat settings, you and your hard-worked furnace could both pay for it. A programmable thermostat is a great way to save money and energy by inputting settings that will automatically turn your heat down when you don’t need it. A smart thermostat is even better – it connects to your phone so it knows whether you’re home or not!
3. Don’t block or close air vents
There’s a common myth that you can close the vents in unused rooms in winter and save money. That’s just not true! Your furnace has to work harder when the airflow is blocked. So all you did was make more work for your furnace. Allow your furnace to be a “gold medal winner” by not putting extra strain on it. Make sure furniture isn’t blocking any vents either.
4. Use curtains as natural insulation
If you use curtains to keep in the heat, then your furnace won’t have to work so hard. The way you do this is, you keep the drapes open during the day to let in natural heat from the sun. Then, at night, close them, to keep that heat in and prevent it from escaping.
5. Get a furnace tune-up
A furnace tune-up is one of the hidden gems to save you money and also help your furnace last a long time. A Weather Master technician will clean all the parts of your furnace and check the electrical components to keep it running strong.
If “furnace maintenance” was a category in the 2022 Winter Olympics, let’s just say we’d be taking home the gold! Schedule an appointment online or call now: (919) 853-7910