Top 5 Furnace Efficiency Tips
March 15th, 2015 by Brian Starck
Did you know that there are things you can do to improve the efficiency of your furnace? Take steps to help your furnace work better. They will cause it to use less fuel and electricity to run. It will save you money during winter heating season.
Here are Top 5 Furnace Efficiency Tips for a more efficient furnace.
1) Change the furnace filter at recommended intervals
You will need to change a furnace filter every 30 days, or about once a month. Some replaceable filters last up to 90 days. Whole home air filters may only need changing every six months to a year. Running your furnace with a dirty filter circulates dirty air through your home. It also causes your entire system to work harder to move the air, making it more costly to operate.
2) Have your furnace cleaned and tuned up often
Once a year furnace cleaning is ideal. A furnace tune-up removes dirt and deposits and lubricates the unit. Plus, it replaces minor parts that can keep it from functioning at peak efficiency. Having the furnace cleaned and tuned up yearly can save as much as 5 percent of total heating costs. Thornton Heating Services can tune up your furnace and get it running at peak efficiency.
3) Adjust dampers where possible to send equal heat to all rooms
Dampers cover the openings where heat enters the ducts to each room. If you notice that some rooms get a lot more heat than others, you may need to adjust some of your dampers. Closing dampers to rooms may force more heat into the other rooms. This allows you to keep your thermostat lower. If dampers are already closed to the rooms that you want more heat in, you can open the dampers to get more heat in there. Closing dampers to rooms that don’t get used is another good idea. Why heat a room if you don’t need to?
4) Install a heat pump
It can costs several hundred dollars to install a heat pump. But, it can save homeowners in mild to moderate winters a significant amount of money. Heat pumps take heat from the outside air and recirculate it to heat the home. They work best when there is no more than a 40 degree difference between the outdoors and the indoors. Heat pumps are up to 40 percent more efficient to operate than furnaces. They can use air or water (geothermal) to operate.
5) Use a humidifier
Air with the best amount of humidity feels warmer than dry air. You can run the furnace at a lower temperature and still feel comfortable. Whole home humidifiers connect to the furnace and run without any issue. Stand-alone humidifiers are cheaper. They may be less efficient to run and need regular refilling and cleaning. Several stand-alone humidifiers may need to provide humidification for the entire house.
Thornton Heating Service Inc. provides a full range of heating services. We do repairs, replacements, and accessories like heat pumps and whole home humidifiers. Contact us today to see how we can meet your heating service needs.