5 heating mistakes that are costing you dearly
Becoming a homeowner comes with surprisingly little guidance. It’s always possible to pick up tips and tricks about different areas of homeownership, but sometimes, there are things that just don’t come up often or things that seem like they would be hard to mess up. One of those areas would be heating the home itself. Beyond tapping a couple of buttons on the thermostat, actually heating up a home isn’t difficult in and of itself, but there ways to do it better — and more energy-efficient — than others. See below for some common issues to avoid to help save some money while heating a home.
Setting the Thermostat Correctly
It seems like the simplest piece of the puzzle, but it is possible to set a thermostat incorrectly. For instance, turning the thermostat too high and trying to create a personal tropical paradise at home can have detrimental consequences. By forcing the system to run at its highest capacity, the overall efficiency and lifespan of the furnace will drop from the unnecessary additional wear and tear. Keeping the thermostat lower, for longer — under 85 degrees, and around 70 degrees, in general — is a safe zone to keep the heater from running itself out.
Windows, Leaks, and Drafts
Leaving windows unlocked, or leaving small cracks around windows unattended, will create drafts through the minute openings available. This, in turn, offsets the temperature set on the thermostat, causing the furnace to run harder than usual, using a larger amount of power in the process. Make sure that windows are not only closed fully but also locked when possible, to prevent drafts from sneaking in. If there are cracks or small holes around the window, make sure they are properly filled and sealed with caulk, particularly in the basement or attic, to keep the wind blowing outside from coming in uninvited.
Neglecting the Air Filter
An easy piece to overlook, letting the furnace filter become overly clogged will reduce the airflow through the furnace, causing it to work much harder to heat a home. Remembering to regularly check the air filter and replace or clean it as needed will end up saving a significant amount of money versus an undue furnace breakdown from overuse.
Is Your Heater Running?
While there isn’t as much travel happening lately, remembering to turn the heat down before leaving the house will help cut energy costs. Otherwise, letting the heater run while no one is home does create a toasty atmosphere to come back to, but ultimately ends up costing quite a bit of money. It’s easy enough to turn the heat off manually before leaving, but if homeowners would like the option to step back into an already warmed-up home, there are a variety of programmable and smart thermostats available, with the functionality to set specific times for the furnace to turn off and kick back on as needed.
Putting off Maintenance
Whether there’s a new noise coming from somewhere inside, an odd smell, or perhaps it’s just never been inspected, leaving the unit without having annual maintenance done is setting the furnace up for failure. By scheduling and completing an annual maintenance check, professionals can catch issues before they balloon into costly, or dangerous, problems.
No one needs to be an expert in furnace repair to heat a home properly, but sometimes, questions or concerns arise, and homeowners need some additional help. If you’re looking for answers to an issue with your furnace, or it’s just that time to schedule an annual maintenance check, reach out to the licensed professionals at Duane Blanton Family Home Services. The technicians at Duane Blanton have over 30 years of experience working with HVAC and are able to steer you in the right direction to keep your home comfortable and cozy. Give the experts at Duane Blanton a call today, at (815) 781-2567, or schedule online through their online scheduling portal.
