Your furnace is essential to your home's comfort. After all, it's a part of your HVAC system that heats the air. Then it distributes it to the rest of your house via a series of ducts and vents. With holidays around the corner, keeping your furnace up to date will let you enjoy the warmth with your family and friends.
Through this method, all the spaces in your residence stay warm on the coldest days. This is why regular upkeep is somewhat mandatory. Without a bi-annual or annual checkup, your furnace is bound to fail. It will also prevent from reducing future costs that could have been avoided if a plan was set in motion beforehand.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you generally want the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of your gas or electric furnace to convert 90% to 100% of its energy into heat. This goes down significantly if you don't maintain it. So, to help you get to this point, here are 3 ways to keep your furnace up to date.
1.
Maintain Proper Insulation
Although your furnace does most of the heating it's not the only component. The right amount of insulation in your home keeps the warm air from seeping outside. When this occurs, you raise the thermostat's temperature to compensate. This puts wear and tear on the furnace.
To keep your furnace up to date you need to look at your insulation levels. Normally found in the attic and around windows and doors, it should be sufficient to shield the home's interior from outside conditions. However, a thin layer of fiberglass or cracks and holes in the spray-on insulation means cold air is coming into the home.
Therefore, you may need to update or replace your insulation to maintain average AFUE levels. You have the power to do this yourself through measurements and installation. However, a professional is a better option. Since they've worked on all forms of houses before, they understand the right combination of insulation.
2.
Replace The Air Filter
Normally, you're asked to change the air filter so the air conditioner works properly. A clean one pushes cool air through the home while it eliminates outdoor particulates. However, the same needs to be done in the winter.
The same outside air comes through the fan coil for heat. When the air filter is clogged, then it doesn't have the power to push through. The result is the coil and other HVAC components freeze up. Additionally, the furnace works harder to convert the received air.
Hence, the reason why the filter must be replaced in the winter. You should have a furnace maintenance plan once every 30 days to keep clogs to a minimum and to replace the filters with companies that perform regular checkups on the entire HVAC unit.
3.
Clean The Air Ducts
If you have proper insulation and a new air filter, then the furnace's problem could be related to dirty air ducts. Over time, dust, dirt, dead animals, and scat accumulates in these areas. When they get too full, the furnace tries harder to push the hot air. The increased exertion causes its lifetime to shrink.
This is why you want to get your air ducts cleaned before you regularly use the furnace. This isn't done with a standard vacuum cleaner. You must hire professionals with the right tools. They have high-pressure vacuums that get these areas incredibly clean in a short period.
On top of this, these professionals clean the floor and ceiling vents in each of the rooms. Thus, fresh warm air comes out instead filled with allergens and bacteria. In turn, your furnace's life is extended.
Overall, your furnace requires TLC. Unfortunately, unless you're a professional HVAC technician, you need to hire a professional team to handle items like duct cleaning. Though it does cost, the return on investment is much greater.
First, you lower your heating costs each year. This is important with the rise in fuel and natural gas prices. Second, it allows the professionals to check for other potentially dangerous issues, like a gas leak. Third, instead of panicking each time you switch on the thermostat, you have peace of mind that it will turn out okay.
This isn't for simply your furnace. Your entire HVAC system should be examined by a professional at least twice a year. This minimizes the risk of a catastrophic failure and the loss of thousands of dollars to replace everything.
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