Even with the mild winters in Lafayette, Broussard, and surrounding areas, your home’s heating system should still be a reliable appliance. With regular maintenance and upkeep, your home furnace can run efficiently for years to come. At Tim’s Southern Air, we have six tips to keep your heater running like new this winter.
Upgrade Thermostat
An outdated or unreliable thermostat can make your furnace work harder than it should to heat your home. Your house may experience cold spots or rooms where the heat never seems to reach.
Readjusting your thermostat to try to make these spaces heat up faster actually wears your furnace out. Consider upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat to help increase the longevity of your furnace.
Replace Filter
Professionals recommend you replace your HVAC filter every three months, depending on a number of variables. If your household has indoor pets, suffers from poor air quality, or there is a large number of people in your household, you may need to replace your filter more often than every 90 days.
A dirty air filter forces your furnace to use more energy to move air through the unit and throughout your home. This can shorten the lifespan of your furnace over time.
Prevent Heat Loss
Your furnace might be working harder than it needs to in order to heat your home. Heat loss may be preventing your furnace from running efficiently. Uninsulated floors can account for up to 10% of heat loss, and open chimneys can lose a surprising amount of heat if left open and unused.
Remember to close your chimney flue when not in use and consider laying out rugs or blankets on any uncarpeted flooring.
Find Air Leaks
Your furnace may be working overtime in the winter because warm air is escaping your house through small cracks and leaks. To locate where the heat is being lost, check your door frames and windows for leaks. You can use your hands to feel for cold outside air coming in, or carefully hold a lit incense stick up to the frame. If the smoke stutters then you know outside air is leaking inside.
It is best practice to find and repair these leaks, to both save money on your energy bills and increase the lifespan of your furnace.
Seal Leaks and Damaged Ducts
Once you have located the source of your heat loss, it is important to repair the damage. Re-caulking window frames, installing draft excluders under doors and repairing damaged air ducts are a few examples of potential repairs.
Turning your furnace on and setting it to run at the same high temperature all day long is not the best practice for keeping your space warm this winter. Rather, focus on sealing your home from the cold and practicing preventative maintenance.
Schedule Annual Tune-up
While you may have mastered routinely checking your home for sources of heat loss, performing minor repairs and changing your air filter, your furnace still requires professional maintenance. You should get a tune-up once a year.
The heating company professionals at Tim’s Southern Air will inspect your unit, service it as needed and give it a thorough cleaning. Trust this year’s tune-up to one of the top furnace companies in Lafayette.
Beyond Preventative Maintenance
By following this advice from Tim’s Southern Air, you can ensure your furnace will run efficiently for years to keep your home cozy and comfortable. In addition to regular preventative maintenance, remember to schedule an annual furnace tune-up to avoid costly repairs and winter break-downs.
Trust the professionals at Tim’s for your heater repairs, installation and maintenance. Call us to schedule your appointment today!
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