Get Ready for Winter: Essential Furnace Maintenance Tips for a Cozy Home

The temps will be dropping soon, and the heating season will begin. In the meantime, we can expect a few days that require both air conditioning and heating on the same day. The mildness of winters in this region makes the weather less extreme than summers, but they still require heat on most days to make a home comfortable. Here are a few furnace maintenance approaches that can make a home very comfortable and still save money on utility bills.

Use Solar Gain

The sun is the greatest source of free heat in the entire solar system and with a little effort, it can be used to the best advantage during the winter. The insulation in a home is installed to create a thermal barrier to keep the heat inside and the cold outside (or vice versa during the cooling season). However, windows are very poor insulators and allow heat to move freely through them. This can increase comfort in a home if you want to take advantage of the sun.

• Determine which windows are on the south side of the house. These windows will allow the maximum amount of sunlight into the home.
• Opening window coverings on sunny days can increase indoor temperatures in the home by ten degrees.
• Remember to close the blinds/drapes in the evening, since heat will travel readily through the glass to the outdoors.

Insulate and Caulk

While insulation creates thermal and moisture barriers, caulk is a sealant that blocks air movement through small gaps, especially around doors and windows. Both measures reduce drafts and make the home more comfortable. It also makes the furnace more efficient by decreasing thermal loss and the entry of cold outside air.

• Detecting drafts can be done with tissue attached to a coat hanger or with a candle. Move either of these in proximity to the frames of windows or doors to detect air movements through any gaps.
• Caulk can be applied around the exterior frames to close these gaps.
• Weatherstripping can be applied between a window or door and its frame to fill larger gaps.

Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction

Ceiling fans are commonly used during the summer. They don’t make the air cooler, but the moving air FEELS cooler than stationary air. Ceiling fans can increase the comfort of a home during the winter as well; here is how to make this work.

• During the summer, ceiling fans should turn counterclockwise; this pulls cool air from near the floor up to the ceiling and pushes it toward the walls.
• However, the direction needs to be changed for wintertime use. Find the switch in the center of the fan to change the direction to clockwise.
• Clockwise rotation pushes the warm air near the ceiling down and out toward the walls.

Mixing the warm air increases comfort and reduces the call for more heat.

Adjust the Thermostat

The thermostat is the ON/OFF switch for the heating system and most current thermostats are programmable. This can work to customize comfort and save energy at the same time.

• Suddenly changing the temperature does not produce the desired results; settle on a desired temperature and leave it.
• Many people prefer to sleep in a cooler room; scheduling a reduction in temperature overnight can provide this extra comfort. Schedule a return to normal temperature about 30 minutes before the alarm clock rings as a buffer.
• If the entire household is gone during the daytime hours, a second reduction in temperature can also be scheduled automatically. A 30-minute buffer before the first family member returns will create the desired comfort.

Reducing the temperature by 8 degrees for 8 hours per day will reduce heating costs by 10% without reducing the comfort level for any family member.

Don’t Get Caught in the Cold: Schedule Your Furnace Maintenance Appointment Today

Air Pro Houston has been providing furnace maintenance for over four decades. AirPro Houston provides you with the skill and expertise to assist with your furnace Maintenance needs.

We have furnace Maintenance financing options available, including great options with up to 72-month terms with approved credit. Call us today at  281-880-8805 and let us partner with you for all of  your furnace maintenance, Tune-up maintenance, and HVAC replacement needs.