Maintaining Efficiency During the Cold Winter Weather

Heating your home in the winter can be challenging when trying to stay within your budget. The cold temperatures mean you rely heavily on your heating system at times. We can all benefit from trimming some money off our bills, especially during winter in Gastonia, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas. Here are some great tips on maintaining high efficiency when running your furnace this winter. REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS Your furnace needs regular maintenance and care to run as efficiently as possible. Most experts agree that annual maintenance and tune-ups are essential to the lifespan and efficiency of your heating and cooling system. In fact, most manufacturer warranties and many homeowners’ insurance policies require maintenance on your HVAC system at least once per year to keep your coverage and avoid costly out-of-pocket expenses. In addition to efficiency, the benefits of regular maintenance include increased safety, decreased risk of surprise breakdowns, and lower repair costs. Let’s break down some parts of the annual maintenance checklist that lead to greater energy efficiency for your furnace. CHANGE AIR FILTER The furnace air filter keeps dust and allergens out of your indoor air. The filter needs to be changed at least every 90 days. A clogged filter leads to the furnace working harder. You may also notice a decrease in indoor air quality and more dust collecting around your home when the filter is dirty. ASSESS MECHANICAL COMPONENTS Your furnace has many mechanical parts that power your unit and keep your home warm. If any of these components become worn out or damaged, replacement is necessary for best operation. Leaving worn parts in place can decrease the efficiency of your furnace and lead to a greater risk of mechanical failure down the road. CALIBRATE THERMOSTAT If your thermostat isn’t reading the temperature correctly, you could be frustrated with the climate inside your home. During your annual maintenance, your HVAC technician will check that the thermostat displays the correct temperature and will make adjustments as needed. INSPECT AIR DUCTS If you have concerns about inefficient or inconsistent heating in your house, your HVAC technician will likely look at your air ducts. The technician will check for blockages and leaks in your ductwork. Warm air struggles to move past clogged ducts and will leak out where openings are, meaning less heat to certain rooms in your home. For more comprehensive and complete air duct cleaning, you’ll need a professional cleaning every few years, separate from your annual maintenance. OPTIMIZING THERMOSTAT SETTINGS Lowering the temperature on your thermostat is one of the best ways to lower your heating bills. When you are home, you should set the thermostat at 68 to 72 degrees, depending on what is comfortable for you. The temperature inside your home does not need to be as high when no one is home. Set the temperature at 62 to 65 degrees during the day when the house is empty. Even at night, while you are sleeping, you can lower the temperature by a few degrees as you snuggle under the blankets. The best way to make these changes in home temperature is with a programmable thermostat. You can set the thermostat to a lower temperature in the morning when you leave for work. The thermostat will then raise the temperature in the afternoon or evening, right before you come home. You can set the times best for you. You may also override the settings when a change in your schedule has you home or away more than usual. Using a programmable thermostat means you could save a significant amount of money each month on your utility bills. EFFICIENT AIR FILTERS Besides changing them frequently, choosing an air filter for your furnace is an important task when it relates to energy efficiency. Many people don’t realize the impact of your air filter on energy consumption. The cheapest filters are made of fiberglass and provide little protection against allergens. Pleated filters are the most common, and a high-efficiency version is available. Pleated filters are relatively cheap but need to be changed more frequently than higher-end versions. High-efficiency pleated filters offer the best protection against dust and allergens for healthier indoor air quality. These filters are pricier but do not require replacement as often as the standard pleated filters. Due to the thickness of high-efficiency pleated air filters, they do not fit with all makes and models, so be sure to check your unit for size before purchasing filters. Consult with a technician from Roland Black Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Generators to decide which filter is best for your furnace. WHOLE HOME HUMIDITY CONTROL Humidity levels play a big role in the energy efficiency of your home. During the winter, you’ll often find the air inside dry. Summer months tend to be stickier with higher humidity. Installing a whole-home humidity control system can tackle the humidity problem during all seasons, keeping moisture at optimal levels. With this control of humidity, your home is easier to heat and cool which translates into lower energy usage and a decrease in your utility bills. CONSIDER ZONE HEATING Zoned heating breaks your home up into smaller sections for heating. Your single central furnace will supply the heat to all zones, but you will have a separate thermostat for each area. This allows you to control the temperature of different parts of the house separately and use less heat in areas where it isn’t needed as much. For example, you may wish to keep your bedrooms at a lower temperature than the living room. The kitchen may not require as much heat, especially when you produce heat from cooking and spend little time in there otherwise. Additionally, you may want to reduce heating in an area with a fireplace. INSTALL A NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HEATING UNIT If you have an older furnace, it may be time to upgrade to a newer, more energy-efficient model. As your furnace ages, the unit works harder to produce heat and keep your home comfortable. Even with proper maintenance and tune-ups, your furnace will begin to cost more to operate as it ages. If your furnace is more than 10 years old, you may want to speak with an HVAC expert from Roland Black Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Generators to explore your options for a new unit. Winter heating costs can strain a budget, especially when the temperatures plummet. You need a furnace that keeps you warm without breaking the bank. Following these simple tips can mean a world of difference when your utility bill arrives. For maintenance, installation of a new unit, a new smart thermostat, zone heating setup, or whole-home humidity systems, you need a trusted HVAC professional from a company you can count on. There’s no better time than now to contact Roland Black Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Generators in Gastonia to make the upgrades needed to boost the energy efficiency in your home this winter. We also offer indoor air quality solutions, property management, and emergency services. Financing is also available on approved credit.