Tips for Running Your Furnace More Efficiently

Furnace efficiency, prolonging the life of your system, and saving money all go hand in hand. It starts with making your home more efficient by sealing up cracks and ends with routine furnace repair in Los Gatos, CA. Here are a few things you can do to keep your furnace efficient all season long.

1. Seal Your Home

Before doing anything with your furnace you want to make sure your home is properly sealed and insulated. This means checking the perimeter of all the fenestrations in your home. Any gaps around windows and doors should be sealed up with caulk, weather stripping, or insulation. This preliminary step will keep the cold air out and the warm air inside. You might also consider sealing your garage door because there is where a lot of cold can leech inside without your knowledge.

2. Clean the Filters

For your furnace to run efficiently you need to keep the air filters clean. At a minimum, you should check the filters once a month. Hold them up, and if you can’t see light coming through it is time to toss out the disposable ones or clean the reusable ones.

3. Use a Smart Thermostat

Keeping your home at the same temperature while you are away is wasteful. But it can be difficult to remember to constantly adjust the temperature if you have a manual thermostat. At the very least, you want to invest in a programmable thermostat that allows you to set the schedule for when you heat your home. A better idea would be to get a smart thermostat that connects to your phone so you can adjust the temperature, even while you are away.

4. Make Sure Registers are Open

Many homeowners shut the heat registers in rooms that are not in use, thinking this will improve furnace efficiency. What they may not realize is a properly sized furnace is designed to heat the entire home. It works most efficiently when all the registers are open, uncovered, and free of debris.

5. Clear the Area around the Furnace

Furnaces are often located in a separate closet or small utility room. You want to make sure you keep the area around your furnace clean and free of debris. Clutter can restrict airflow. And because of the burning gas, is also a safety issue if there is anything flammable stored near your furnace.

6. Use Ceiling Fans

Circulating the air, even in the winter, is still important. But you run the fans to cool the air, don’t you? Fortunately, we all know that heat rises. And running your ceiling fans on low and in reverse helps push hot air back down to keep rooms feeling warmer even longer.

7. Get a Furnace Tune-Up

Nothing improves efficiency and prolongs the life of your HVAC system like an annual tune-up. Regular furnace maintenance will keep you ahead of most expensive repairs and breakdowns.

8. Upgrade Your Equipment

An old furnace system will only be 50 to 70 percent efficient. Modern, high-efficiency systems can achieve as much as 98 percent. This can cut your fuel and energy bills in half. So if you have an older system, you might consider an upgrade.

For more information about reliable furnace repair in Los Gatos, CA call our experts. The technicians at Pelle Heating & Air Conditioning can help keep your furnace running efficiently for years to come.