If you’ve upgraded to an energy efficient furnace, you know the winter months are when it’s going to show its return on investement. These inventive HVAC systems can help decrease the amount of energy or gas used to heat your home compared to older and less efficient models. With winter creeping upon us here in Zelienople, we’ve prepared some helpful steps you can take to ensure your furnace will run efficiently and effectively throughout the season.
1. Schedule a routine maintenance visit before winter weather arrives.
You don’t want to turn on your furnace on the first cold day in Zelienople only to realize it’s not operating properly. It’s important to have a HVAC professional inspect your system, as these individuals have been trained and certified to ensure your HVAC products are safe and working the right way. Regular service visits will not only help the equipment operate smoothly, but it will help enhance the energy efficiency of your furnace, as well.
2. Check your heat exchanger.
Broken or improperly functioning heat exchangers mix combustion gases with the air in your home. This leads to safety concerns with carbon monoxide poisoning. This inspection is easy – just inspect your furnace’s combustion chamber for cracks. If you notice strange odors coming from the heater after a couple minutes, shut it off and call a professional. Your heat exchanger is an important factor in creating an energy efficient furnace. When it’s working properly, the equipment doesn’t have to work as hard or use as much energy to produce the heat you desire.
3. Change your air filter.
When’s the last time you changed your filter? Now is the time. Clean filters may help improve your equipment’s air flow and could lead to better energy efficiency, as well. Pleated, HEPA and electrostatic filters can also help increase the furnace’s energy efficiency, so consider upgrading if you’re currently using a flat filter. We recommend checking your filter once a month to see whether it needs to be changed.
Use these steps to create a more energy efficient home this season. Or, if you’re ready for a repair, Knoechel Heating Company offers a number of energy efficient furnaces. We’re happy to help you find the latest and greatest HVAC systems available in Zelienople.