As you know, Northern winters hit hard and last long. In fact, Calgary endures an average of 59 days yearly, where temperatures never rise above freezing. This makes a working HVAC system imperative. Your furnace works hard to warm your home in the frigid weather.
Failure to take proper care of it can result in a cold home. A faulty furnace can also raise utility bills and lead to lower air quality for your family to breathe. Read on to learn about our home furnace tips that will help maximize its effectiveness and functioning.
Change The Air Filters
A furnace generates heat by burning fuel. Heat creates energy. This energy passes through a heat exchanger to raise the temperature. The blower then forces air through the ductwork to heat your home. As you can imagine, a lot of debris ends up passing through the furnace as the air passes through. Dust and other particles collect on the interior components. You would not want to breathe this in as is. It would compromise the quality of the air you breathe. For this reason, the furnace contains a filter. You should regularly replace the filter because it becomes less effective as particles build up. When you replace it depends on the thickness of your filter. Thin filters need replacement every month or so. Thicker, higher-quality air filters can last up to a year. Not sure where to look to replace it? In the front compartment near the blower, you can find the air filter and easily switch them out.
Clean The Registers And Vents
Sometimes debris will still travel through your ductwork and settle. When dust builds up in your registers and vents, it will dirty the air filter faster. Dirty air also causes the furnace to work less efficiently. Clean all registers and vents on a regular basis as part of keeping up your home. Vacuum the vents and then use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the vent and area around it. Change the vent covers when they get old. Use microfibre to wipe down your registers as well.
Lower The Thermostat
When temperatures drop below freezing, you may want to crank up your heat. But for good furnace maintenance, you should resist the urge to do so. In frigid temperatures, especially at night, lower your thermostat by a couple of degrees. This helps prevent it from burning itself out. Listen to how often your furnace runs. If it constantly comes on, drop it down and bundle up with an extra blanket during the night.
Schedule Professional Furnace Maintenance
Choose Harmony Heating & Air Conditioning for furnace repair and maintenance services if you notice something not working properly. Even when nothing seems wrong, you should get an annual tune-up to keep everything in tip-top shape. In between those tune-ups, pay attention to what your HVAC system is telling you. Unusual smells, strange noises, and inconsistent energy bills all signal a problem that should get looked at.
Make Furnace Repair A Priority – Call Harmony Heating Today!
Though tucked away in the basement, you should not forget about your furnace when it's working. Proper maintenance and necessary furnace repair save you money by extending the shelf life of this important heat source. Harmony Heating & Air Conditioning would never leave you in the cold. Contact us for all of your HVAC needs!