How To Maximize Furnace Efficiency: 12 Easy Tips and Habits
As the heating season fast approaches, learning how to maximize furnace efficiency will save you money and keep you comfortable. Taking a few simple steps can help your furnace heat your Detroit home more easily, reducing fuel consumption and improving comfort in every room, regardless of the temperature outside.
If you have questions about your heating system and how to optimize it for better performance, Andy’s Statewide Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to help. We specialize in helping Detroit homeowners get the most value out of their furnace with practical tips and routine maintenance.
Has it been a while since a professional looked at your furnace? Schedule an appointment with us, and we’ll be happy to keep it in peak condition.
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1. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Have you ever worried about your furnace shutting down in the middle of a rainy day or, worse, a cold snap? When you schedule routine maintenance, you catch small issues before they become inconvenient and expensive repair jobs.
Once or twice per year--especially before the cold season hits--you can call professionals to swing by your home and look at your unit. Just a few of the areas they can take a look at include (but aren’t limited to):
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Changing out filters
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Inspecting ductwork
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Testing the thermostat
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Reviewing electrical connections
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Searching for cracks or gaps
Andy’s provides fast, friendly heating repair services to Detroit homeowners and landlords. We also offer routine maintenance to keep your unit in top shape. With yearly visits, you can rest easy knowing your furnace can handle anything the weather throws at it.
2. Improve the Control System
Your HVAC system is only as good as its control system. A programmable thermostat improves the performance of your heating and cooling systems by allowing you to completely customize your home’s comfort needs, calling for more heating only while you are present and letting the temperature drop slightly when you are out.
Advancements in thermostat technology have also led to the development of “smart” learning thermostats that can learn from your habits and develop the most efficient heating program based on your day-to-day activity. Although a smart thermostat is a slightly higher investment, it offers the greatest convenience and extends your furnace’s lifespan.
3. Check the Flame
Learning how to maximize furnace efficiency also means spotting small problems quickly. The color of the pilot light flame is indicative of the mixture of gases released by the burners, which affects your furnace’s performance and safety.
Under ideal conditions, the pilot light should appear steady and burn a blue color. If the flame flickers or appears yellow, orange, or any other color, call in your heating repair service to clean the apparatus. They’ll also ensure that your furnace is using the right combination of gases to provide steady, energy-efficient heating.
4. Have Your Ducts and Insulation Inspected
Although not directly related to your furnace’s function, your ducts and insulation play an important part in heating your home. Since ducts transport heated air throughout the house, leaks or blockages affect the amount of heat that actually reaches your living spaces.
If air is lost or blocked, your furnace must work harder and longer to produce the desired results. Similarly, if your home’s insulation is insufficient, heated air may escape through your home’s walls and attic into the outside environment. This also requires more work from your furnace, affecting its longevity and increasing the risk of a breakdown.
A seasoned technician will be able to spot any issues with your duct and insulation with an inspection.
5. Eliminate Drafts
Sometimes you don’t need heating repair services, but need to block drafts that are leaking out all your hard-earned money. This issue causes your furnace to work harder to heat the air, unnecessarily causing excess strain on the system and increasing your energy bills.
According to the Department of Energy, 30% of a home’s heat loss is caused by drafty windows. Fortunately, eliminating drafts in your home isn’t difficult. Firstly, you can add caulk or weatherstripping around windows and doors, wherever you feel drafts or can see daylight through the frame.
Additionally, check areas such as your basement, attic, or garage for drafts that may be entering through the holes in your home’s exterior.
6. Improve Air Flow
Your ductwork has a major impact on how well your furnace can warm your home. While a drafty home will leak out your hot air, issues like incompatible ductwork or a faulty blower motor will make it harder for hot air to circulate.
Fortunately, getting a professional eye on your home can help you improve furnace air flow. An experienced technician can narrow down the source of poor air flow to ensure your furnace is able to heat the entire home every time.
7. Develop a Heating Program
A programmable thermostat has the potential to help you save money and prolong the lifespan of your furnace. However, while many homes in the United States have programmable thermostats, a Berkeley Lab study showed that at least 40% of programmable thermostat owners didn’t use the full range of features.
If you have a programmable thermostat, but aren’t using its program feature, now is a great time to get comfortable with this technology. Consult your user’s manual or contact your heating and cooling company so you can start improving furnace efficiency. One of the best ways of doing this is by programming your thermostat to adapt to your lifestyle.
By limiting the amount of heating your furnace does while you are sleeping or away, you can concentrate your furnace’s activity on the hours you need it most. This simple feature results in lower bills, a more comfortable home, and less worry about wearing out your furnace.
8. Augment Heating With Ceiling Fans
Learning how to improve furnace efficiency includes getting clever with your household appliances. If your home has ceiling fans, they’ve likely been sitting idle during the winter. However, ceiling fans can be used to augment the performance of your furnace simply by reversing the direction of their spin.
You can use this feature with a switch on the fan itself or by pressing a button on a remote fan system. Once you’ve reversed the direction of the fan, leave it running on a low setting. As the fan turns, it will pull cool air up from the floor, forcing heated air from your furnace down into the room. Remember: Warm air rises, while cool air sinks.
This process has a natural warming effect, making it easy to shift the temperature in your home by a degree or two without even noticing.
9. Upgrade to an Energy-Efficient Furnace Model
If you’ve tried several of the above tips but haven’t noticed a change in your furnace’s performance or your energy bills, you may need a new model. The average furnace can last between 15 to 20 years, though we recommend investing in a model when you hit the decade mark.
An old furnace commonly shows issues like worn-out parts, increasing your energy bills with no apparent reason, or making odd noises. When you take the plunge and get an upgrade, you’ll find the upfront cost balanced out by long-term savings. Andy’s provides energy-efficient heater replacements to homeowners who are tired of constant maintenance and spiking energy bills.
What is a high-efficiency furnace? This term refers to models that have a high AFUE rating and state-of-the-art technology that heats faster, cheaper, and more consistently. Think you may need a new installation? We offer furnace installation services that could be a more energy-efficient option for your home.
Andy’s provides furnace and HVAC services to Detroit homeowners and landlords. We’re more than happy to take a look at your current set-up to see what your home needs for the winter season.
3 Easy Changes That Improve Your Furnace’s Performance
If you want to learn how to maximize furnace efficiency in your day-to-day life, you’re in luck. There are a few things you can do to go easier on your unit without sacrificing comfort.
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Add Decorative Insulation
You can turn your next interior design project into an energy-saving habit. Heavy curtains and area rugs not only look nice, they do a great job of trapping heat when you use your furnace.
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Plug Up Door Drafts
Have you ever noticed your furnace turn on when you’re working at home or lying in bed? You can trap heat by plugging up the area beneath your door so you don’t have to keep turning your unit on.
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Clean Out Your Furnace Filters
Furnaces have a harder time heating your home if they are working through a dirty, dusty filter. We recommend cleaning out your filter every one to three months (or before the snow hits).
Need more tips to keep your furnace working well? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to lend a hand.
Schedule Your Furnace Tune-Up With Andy’s Today
You shouldn’t wait until you’re in the thick of a Detroit winter before calling a professional. Calling for heating services will give you peace of mind that your furnace is ready to keep you warm throughout the year.
Andy’s is your one-stop shop for heating maintenance, tune-ups, and installations. Not only do we provide fast service in Detroit and the surrounding area, but we also make it easy for you to stay within your budget. Our flexible payment options and home service plans are how we show our gratitude to our customers.
We also provide troubleshooting for heat pumps and HVAC services. No matter what you need, we’re only a call away.
If you need help learning how to maximize your furnace efficiency, call our team for a check-up. After a quick visit, you can rest easy knowing you’ll be fully prepared for the next Detroit winter.