Your furnace may be one of the most crucial appliances necessary for comfort in the home during the winter months, and you may hear your furnace turn on numerous times each day to circulate heat throughout the home. While you may rely on your furnace for warm comfort throughout the cold weather season, the unfortunate consequence associated with furnace usage is high heating bills. Some homeowners are actively searching for ways to reduce heating costs, and the reality is that some people are improperly or poorly using their furnace, resulting in unnecessary expense. The team at Tom Drexler Plumbing can help you to identify improper usage of your furnace with a physical inspection of the property.
Failing to Adjust the Thermostat
One of the most common reasons why your energy costs may be higher than necessary is improper usage of the thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you will be able to automatically adjust the temperature in the home based on your regular schedule. For example, you may allow the home to be cooler than usual during your work hours when you are away from home, and you may adjust the thermostat so that the home is warmer than usual during hours when you are at home. If you do not have a programmable thermostat or if your program settings are not up-to-date, there is a good chance that you are wasting energy unnecessarily.
Failing to Schedule Annual Maintenance on Your System
Most mechanical systems require regular maintenance to keep them up and running in the most efficient way possible, and your furnace is no different. Furnace manufacturers generally recommend that these systems receive professional maintenance on an annual basis, but many homeowners fail to complete the service. With regular service on your furnace, dust, dirt and other debris can be cleaned away, filters can be replaced and other steps can be taken to keep the system running optimally.
Using a System Too Large for Your Space
When you replace your furnace, you have the option to invest in a wide range of furnace sizes. Furnace size needs coincide with the square footage in the home that needs to be heated. Some homeowners may opt for a larger sized furnace than is necessary with the belief that the system will not need to run as frequently, and they believe that this will reduce energy costs. However, using a larger system requires more energy use to power the system, and ultimately, it is more cost-effective to purchase the right size of furnace for your space.
Using a System Too Small for Your Space
Just as some homeowners believe purchasing a larger system than necessary saves energy, others believe that purchasing a smaller furnace saves money. Their belief is that a smaller system uses less energy to heat the home, so it will not cost as much to use it. However, a smaller system will need to run more frequently, and because of this, it is most cost-effective to use the right size of furnace for your home’s square footage.
Not Sealing Doors and Windows
A final area to review when looking for energy savings with your furnace is the seals on your doors and windows. The seals are designed to keep climate-controlled area inside the home and to prevent cold air from outside from penetrating indoors. If you can see sunlight through cracks around doors and windows or if you can feel cool air gushing in from the seals, it may be time to re-seal your home.
While you undoubtedly rely on your furnace to keep you warm throughout the winter, you do not want to pay more than necessary for the use of your furnace. When you reach out to the team at Tom Drexler Plumbing, you can request personalized guidance in each of these areas, and you may learn about additional ways to save money on your home heating bills.
