Did you know that a heating system only has a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years? You can get the maximum output from these systems using the right Heating Services. A new gas furnace can cost up to $2,500.00 and an oil furnace around $7,000.00 – not including the installation costs! If your system is less than 10 years old or it seems like your utility bills are skyrocketing, check out these tips on increasing the life of your current heating system:
1. Have Your Furnace Inspected Annually
The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree; every year, homeowners put off getting their furnaces inspected for one reason or another. Unfortunately, not doing so could lead to costly repairs down the line. Getting your home’s furnace checked yearly is an easy way to bonus it also ensures your heating system is operating properly.
2. Change Your Air Filter Every Three Months
Changing the air filter every three months is one of the easiest things you can do to increase the life of your furnace. Not only will this help improve energy efficiency, doing so regularly will keep particles, dirt, and dust from entering your system, which could potentially clog up motor gas lines or vents, leading to serious problems down the line.
3. Get Moisture Checks During Cold Weather Months
If you’re noticing there’s a lot more condensation in your home than usual during the winter months, this might be due to an increased presence of moisture in your home. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen is by getting routine moisture checks done on your home.
4. Get a Tune-Up for Your Furnace at Least Once A Year
One of the main reasons why furnaces fail prematurely is due to lack of maintenance. Experts suggest getting yearly furnace tune-up calls done by a licensed professional to prolong the life of your unit, especially if you use gas, oil, coal, or wood for heat.
5. Keep the Ducts Where Your Heating System Circulates Clean
Your heating system doesn’t just circulate air. It also circulates dust. You may not be able to see the dust, but it’s there, and it hurts your heating system. The best way to clean ducts with dust is by hiring professionals for regular cleaning every six months or so.
6. Be Careful About Using Extension Cords
It can be tempting to use an extension cord when you need more space in your home where you’ll place your furnace, but thinking twice about this is important because using an extension cord with too many appliances plugged into it can cause your electrical wiring to get misplaced, burned out, or even start a fire. It’s better if you find another solution that will work for your needs without compromising safety or efficiency.
7. Seal Air Leaks in the Attic
If your system is constantly running or not performing well, air leaks might be to blame. Make sure that the insulation around the heat exchange unit is sealed up tightly so you won’t lose too much heat and force your heating system to work harder than it has to.
8. Switch Off Your Furnace Before Going on Vacation
This is an obvious one, but apparently, everyone should take note – shut off your furnace before leaving for vacations because this will prevent any potential damage, just like turning off electricity when heading out for extended periods. Not only that, having a “maintenance vacation” from using your furnace can help improve its efficiency once you get back from vacation.
9. Clean Your Furnace’s Filters
Once a month, clean your furnace filters so they don’t get too dirty. If they clogged, the heating system won’t work as well. If you do this, your furnace will work too much, which can cause it to break down quickly.
10. Change HVAC Air Filter When Necessary
As much as possible, change the air filter when needed for maximum efficiency; if not changed often enough (like after about 6 months), it can get damaged easily. Replacing the air filter every three months is recommended, although it might be too expensive for many people. If you can not change these filters by yourself, contact Le High HVAC professionals for this job. They will help you deal with any kind of HVAC issues.
11. Fix Leaks in the Ducts for Best Performance
It’s also best to check the duct system regularly, if it is made of metal or PVC, to make sure that there are no holes because these could cause the loss of energy and waste of your money. Sealing leaks can save you a lot of money as well as help you conserve energy.
12. Keep Room Temperature at 78 Degrees Fahrenheit for Easiest Maintenance
Heating repairs will cost a lot if you use a higher temperature than what your house needs – so naturally, this leads us to our next trip, which requires you to have done proper research on how much heat your home needs from time to time to remain in the optimum temperature range.
13. Regularly Check Furnace for Leaks
One way to know if you have any gas leaks is to smell around the furnace every once in a while. If you smell something that smells like burning rubber or if your skin feels itchy, then there might be a leak already which needs attention from heating repair service providers.
14. Keep Dampers Open When No Heat Is Called For
It can also help if you keep your dampers open when there’s no call for heat, especially during winter nights when it may get pretty chilly throughout the day but warm up by evening…if you keep these dampers closed, this could overheat at times and lead to strain on the furnace.
Wrap-Up:
If you follow these tips, then your furnace will stay good as new and of course save you some money, simple precautions such as routine heating service which is of utmost importance if nothing else can ensure that your heater lasts for quite a few years…don’t wait until something goes wrong with it to hire a Heating Technician. They work even during weekends and holidays so no matter when services are needed, they’ll be there for you whenever you need them most!
