How NOT to Use Your Furnace This Winter

Yes, we all know that winter has settled in at last, and that means the furnace is running. After all, some of us get much colder than others, and even a few customers we’ve met hate winter and want to stay warm all season long.

Did you know, though, that there exist ways on how not to use a furnace? It’s true, and we’re going to look at those different ways today. Hopefully by reading these you can become a smarter and better heat user this winter.

Heating up all the rooms—even the unused ones

Many homeowners assume that it’s great to step into each and every room in the house and be at a comfortable temperature—even in the rooms they don’t use as often as others. However, a room with all of the heat on but no one to enjoy it is a waste of valuable heat and resources. It takes a lot of time and energy to build up heat and then distribute that heat throughout the house—this is basically what happens when the furnace is switched on.

If you’re not feeling the heat, but insist on heating up every room anyway, then stop what you’re doing and make adjustments. That’s not just heat you’re insisting on wasting, either—you’re wasting money too.

Blocking off ventilation

Depending on how you look at them, you may find the appearance of the floor vents in your home to be awfully ugly, but whatever you do don’t cover them up! Blocking off ventilation will hinder the air flow and prevent your furnace from doing its job. The airflow from the furnace as it generates heat must never ever be blocked off. If it is, the obstruction may overheat and this will indicate to your furnace that it’s time to shut down, leaving you with a chilly room.

Furniture is not the only obstruction to worry about either. Carpets, rugs, and even a closed door in the closet where a vent is located can all cause a blockage. Other materials that some people include in the room where the furnace is installed include kitty litter, wet clothing, and combustible materials such as gas and paint. This may sound like common sense to mention you should never store these in the same room, but you’d be amazed at how some people don’t seem to have it.

Before you turn on the heat, really look around your house first. If you see any potential blockages, remove them. Make sure the furnace room is also free of the aforementioned materials; that way there’s less risk of dangerous situations happening when you’re not there!

Adjusting temperature not just once, but constantly—even when you’re not around

We know some people can’t tolerate the cold more than others, which is why you may think it’s a great idea to readjust the thermostat whenever you see fit. Don’t touch that dial! Leave the thermostat where it is, because turning it up will force the furnace to work harder than it should or force it to switch off when the thermostat thinks it’s perfect. Messing around with a thermostat will only lead to trouble.

Ideally a house’s temperature in the winter should be at least 17 degrees Celsius when you’re home and lower by a few degrees if and when you leave the house or are asleep. This is not the magical temperature—there really is none this time of the year—but it is the most ideal to ensure your furnace works properly and at its best. Fooling around beyond these temperatures will force your HVAC systems to work harder than they should and cost you some money in the process.

Not cleaning your furnace at all

If your furnace goes uncleaned, this is what happens:

• Lots and lots of dirt, dust, and debris buildup not just inside but outside your furnace as well
• Many components, some of them more delicate than others, constantly breaking down or failing to work properly
• Poor air quality
• Lots of noise
• Burning smells
• A giant energy bill in your mailbox

None of these are things we wish on our customers. That’s why it’s always a good rule of thumb to clean and maintain your furnace regularly, in addition to your A/C and other HVAC units such as the water heater.

Holding off from an inspection or upgrade

The sooner you get a closer look at some telltale signs your furnace is breaking down, the better. You can read up on the signs on our blog or discuss any you’re concerned about with us and we can let you know if it’s fixable on your end or something that’s more serious. What not to do is to hold off from an inspection at all (or an upgrade, if you know your furnace is over 10 years old)! Remember, those high-costing energy bills usually happen because of inefficient heating and cooling systems. Don’t delay if you see your energy bill spike and the heat’s not even on!

Do you need a new furnace or want to find out what heating options you have? At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!