Making sure your furnace functions as it should is vital for any homeowner.
Efficient furnace function usually means your device will last longer and use less power. Homeowners want both of these things, and we want you to have them.
Delaware Heating and Air has been helping folks keep their furnaces in good working condition. That’s the reason people trust us and the reason we’re trying to give you some simple tips to help improve your furnace.
First, we’ll go over a few tips you might have heard. Just in case you need a refresher, here they are:
- Have your furnace serviced yearly.
- Replace the furnace filter regularly.
- Keep registers open and free of debris.
- You should have a five feet clearing around the furnace.
These are important because they help keep your furnace running smoothly. Making sure the furnace is serviced allows us to catch small issues before they become big ones.
It also ensures everything is running well. Replacing the filter doesn’t only improve the air quality in your house but also ensures that you don’t overwork the furnace.
When a filter is dirty, it forces the furnace to work harder to achieve its goal. That diminishes efficiency and causes more wear on your machine. You’ll have to replace it sooner than later, or you’ll need to do more repairs.
If all that wasn’t enough, you’ll waste energy. Keeping your registers open and free of debris helps the furnace work without any obstacles.
Keeping three to five feet free around the furnace helps improve air circulation, and that improves efficiency, too.
We had to get those out of the way, but there are a few other tips that can help keep your furnace working properly.
Going for a Programmable Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat is one of the simplest and wisest things you can do for your furnace. Smart thermostats are great to have not only because they are convenient; they’re also helpful.
They’re convenient because you can hook them up to your phone and do all sorts of cool things. You can turn on your furnace before you get home so that your home is toasty by the time you open the front door.
It goes beyond those little conveniences though. The best thing about smart thermostats is that they allow homeowners to program their furnaces. This means your furnace could be turned off when you’re not home.
If you keep a similar routine every week, programming the thermostat is going to make life a bit easier. It will reduce the amount of power you use, which can lower your bill.
In addition to that, you’ll put less strain on your furnace. Like any other machine, wear and tear can diminish its efficiency and life. If you optimize your use with this thermostat, you’ll increase its life and reduce the need for repairs.
Use Insulating Curtains
Another simple tip we had to share involves your curtains. All you need to do is get some black-out curtains.
You’re going to use your curtains to let heat in and trap it. You want to close all the curtains at night.
The reason you’re doing this is that there’s no sunlight at night, so you’re losing heat. If you close those curtains, then the sun’s heat can stay in.
The next thing you are going to do is open the curtains that face south and west. This is where most of the heat is going to come from, and you want all of that heat inside your house.
Plus, you get to see that beautiful sun shining, and that’s always a good thing. All the curtains that are facing north should be closed, and this is the case even in the morning.
You don’t get much heat from northern-facing windows. For the most part, you lose heat from those windows, which is the reason you want them shut.
We know that this is a bit different, but it can help reduce energy costs and the need for your furnace to work so hard.
Invest in Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a must if you want your furnace to work efficiently. No matter how good your furnace is at creating heat for your home, it can’t fight nature.
Heat will always move up and eventually leave your home through the roof. Yes, this will happen, forcing your furnace to overexert itself.
The good thing is that you can do something about this. You can invest in ceiling fans around your home.
What these fans can do is pretty simple, They are going to push air down, giving your furnace more time to rest and keep your home warmer longer.
Ceiling fans are easy to install and don’t require you to do anything but turn them on when the furnace is running. If you do that, you’ll save on energy costs, and you’ll protect your furnace.
Plus, with less wear and tear, you’ll spend less on repairs. As much as we love our work, we know it’s better for homeowners to not spend so much on repairs. A little upkeep is understandable, but no one should need repairs constantly.
Bake More
You’re probably starting to see the pattern. The best way to boost the furnace’s function is to reduce the workload you give it each day.
This brings us to this other tip you and your family may love, and that’s baking more. Yes, baking often during the winter gives your furnace a break.
Of course, you can bake things like cookies, brownies, and other delicious sweets, but go beyond that since those usually only require 12 to 20 minutes of baking.
You want to tackle casseroles and things like baked beans or pork butt, which requires hours of baking, but the results are delicious.
Baking can warm the ground floor, especially if you bake for hours. If you shut the right curtains and let sunlight in, you’ll keep your house toasty without much help from your furnace.
Keep in mind that this also means your home is going to smell pleasant, and you’ll spend less time eating out. There’s no downside to baking more during the winter months that we can see.
If you don’t normally bake that much, consider looking at recipes. You might discover how much you love to cook and how much you’ll love learning to bake these new dishes. Make sure you get your entire family involved. The more baking going on, the better.
Decorate With Warm Intentions
Most of the time, when folks decorate their homes, they don’t think about anything else other than what feels right and looks good. This makes sense because decorations give a home a personal touch.
Decorations are also there to help make the house look nice. The thing is that decorations can do a little more if you think about warmth.
The reason we think about this could be because we love everything dealing with heating and cooling a home, but for some reason, we see everything, including decorations, through this lens. As strange as it might be, some decorations can help you express yourself while also insulating your home.
For example, instead of getting any rug for your home, invest in a rug that can insulate. This means choosing the right insulating material, such as the following:
- Wool
- Alpaca
- Cork
- Genuine fur
All of these materials can help trap heat inside your house. Plus, they feel amazing to the touch.
It goes beyond rugs. Your curtains can also be made from an insulating material like wool. There’s also wall art made from insulating materials like a cork that could help keep heat in and make your home look special.
Investing in decorations that serve more than one purpose is smart.
One more thing to consider is that insulation materials also help soundproof your home.
You’ll dampen outside noise and give yourself more peace. Not only that, you can be a little louder if you want to be without your neighbors knowing.
Seal All Cracks and Holes
Most homes develop cracks and holes at some point, no matter how well the house was constructed.
The good thing is that you can do something about these cracks and holes. All you have to do is find them and address them. Usually, all you need is some caulk and a caulking gun.
Both are pretty affordable and easy to use. Once you’ve sealed these holes and cracks, your furnace should work more efficiently.
As you could imagine, a home with cracks or holes allows hot air to escape and cold air to creep in. This makes your furnace work harder than it should to keep you warm.
You know why none of this is a good thing, so you know why addressing these issues is vital. You will need a home inspection to help you discover holes or cracks around your house.
Don’t forget to weatherproof your windows, doors, and even garage door. A lot of air escapes and creeps in through these areas, so make sure you don’t overlook them.
If you want some additional tips, don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us. Delaware Heating and Air has been doing this long enough to guide you through this process. We want to make a difference.
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