Can Boosting Furnace Efficiency Help Avoid Repairs | Sound Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

There’s no denying that if you live in the Bellevue area, you need a powerful and effective furnace to keep you comfortable all season long. If you’re calling for professional repair services a little more often than you think you should have to though, it’s definitely an indication that something is amiss. You may wonder if there’s a way to reduce these repair needs.

Well, there is! By scheduling regular furnace maintenance, you can boost the efficiency and performance of your furnace, which will in turn reduce repair needs. Read on to learn how, and to learn how to boost that efficiency, too!

By taking the steps to boost furnace efficiency, such as scheduling maintenance, you’re helping to prevent small, wear-and-tear, repair needs from growing into much bigger, emergency repairs. So, what are the other ways you can boost efficiency? Read on!

Don’t Keep Windows and Doors Open

We know that feeling fresh air come into your home can be great after a day of stale, perhaps overly-filtered air inside your living space. But this isn’t the best option for your home comfort, as it can let the heat from your furnace escape, which increases the demand on that heater. Keeping your windows and doors closed will help with home insulation.

An alternative to keeping anything open in your home to bring in fresh air is investing in the installation of a heat or energy recovery ventilator.

Check for Air Leaks in Your Home

Your doors and windows don’t always have to be open for you to be losing heat from your furnace. Air leaks in the windows, doors, or even potentially your ductwork can create just as much struggle for energy efficiency and comfort in your home. Caulking and weatherstripping can both be a big help in addressing air leaks that may otherwise drive up your energy bills.

Keep Your Thermostat Set at a Reasonable Level

It can be really difficult to resist the temptation to drive up that number on your thermostat when it gets really chilly outside. However, the Department of Energy advises that you keep the thermostat at about 68°F to get the most from your heating system without draining too much energy. It might not seem so, but even a difference of 5°F could create a huge impact on efficiency.

Use Other Sources of Warmth

Do you have windows that face the south side of your home? Open the curtains and blinds during the day, especially on sunny days! Why? Because this allows ambient heat in. When your home is warmer, longer, it may not signal the furnace or heating system to cycle on as often or as soon, therefore not using up as much energy as it otherwise would.

If you have heat-producing lights, keeping them on too is a great idea. This might sound wasteful, but actually, your HVAC systems make up half of all the energy used in your home, so it’s more wasteful to run your heater nonstop than it is to keep heat-producing lights on in whatever room you’re in.