To truly maximize the value of your brand-new furnace, you have to be willing to take the time to give it proper, consistent care. If you stay on top of your furnace upkeep, you will be rewarded with a heating system that conserves energy, effectively warms your household, and runs for a long time. These steps for taking care of your new heater are not overly difficult. Rather, they simply require a bit of dedication and commitment.
1. Seal Up Leaks
If you are trying to give your furnace a long, healthy lifespan, one of your goals should be taking pressure off of it whenever possible. If your furnace has to constantly exert energy, it is going to suffer significantly more wear and tear and drift further away from peak efficiency. One household issue that forces a furnace to work harder is the presence of air leaks. By letting heat escape your home, these little openings force your heating system to compensate. To take care of this, search the edges of your windows and doorways for any possible leaks or cracks, and then take the time to seal them up.
2. Give Your Furnace a Tune-Up
Regular maintenance, administered by a heating professional, allows your furnace to operate more efficiently and prevents any of the appliance’s components from malfunctioning. If you ignore your furnace, problems or breakdowns can easily sneak up on you. By bringing in a trained technician once a year, you can preemptively nip those issues in the bud. For residents of Houston, TX, consider the dependable experts at Texas Pride to conduct these important tune-ups.
3. Use a Humidifier
One frequent cause of furnaces getting overworked during the winter months is the low moisture level of the air. Dry air in our homes makes it feel colder than it should due to the fact that heat has trouble transferring without moisture. When you add a humidifier to your house, it kicks up the moisture level and allows you to give the heater a rest by making the household feel warmer.
4. Clean the Air Filter
Over time and with regular use, the air filter in your furnace is bound to become clogged with dust and debris. This is a problem, as it makes it much harder for the furnace to suck air through, resulting in the appliance using more energy and accumulating wear. To avoid this situation, make a point to thoroughly clean or replace the filter once a month.
5. Clean Your Air Vents
The vents in your residence are very important when it comes to heating since your furnace uses them to distribute warm air to different areas. When the inside of these vents become dirty with dust particles and other debris, it will result in the furnace struggling to circulate air. Not only will the appliance do a poor job of heating your home, but it will also cause a rise in your monthly bills by wasting more energy. To clean the vents, use a screwdriver to remove the protective covers and vacuum the inside with a long extension.
6. Use a Ceiling Fan
You may not realize that a common ceiling fan can help to keep your furnace running smoothly and efficiently. Typically, warm air actually rises within a room, frequently leading to heat settling around the ceiling. As a result, you do not feel as much of that warmth, and you end up needing to crank your thermostat up. This is where a fan can come in handy. The ceiling fan pushes this warm air back down toward the floor, allowing you to benefit more from it and give your furnace a bit of a rest. The more often you are able to give your furnace a break, the better it will be at keeping you warm consistently.
Friendly Local Heating Professionals
If you have any questions or need professional assistance with keeping your new furnace running smoothly, we at Texas Pride are always available to offer whatever help we can. We have been serving members of the Houston community since 1983 and are proud of our reputation for friendly customer service, competitive prices, and reliable advice. In addition to our heating services, we also work on cooling systems for both residential and commercial customers.
We would love to provide you with personalized assistance to keep your household or business running smoothly. Give us a call at Texas Pride today to schedule an appointment.