Proper maintenance will keep your furnace in great shape for extended periods, especially when you want warmth in your home during the cold winter. This guide will give you practical tips to prolong your furnace’s life, lessen some expenses or even increase your home’s energy efficiency. Let’s dive into it to see what makes a furnace last longer in Navarre, FL.
1. Schedule Regular Tune-Ups
Like your car, your furnace needs regular check-ups to keep running smoothly. Annual or bi-annual tune-ups by a professional can help identify minor issues before they escalate into major, costly problems. A trained technician will conduct a tune-up, including detailed cleaning, replacing worn-out parts and setting up everything properly for top efficiency.
Besides prolonging your furnace’s service life, regular tune-ups also improve its operation, reducing power usage bills. Consider tune-ups as preventive medicine for your furnace; it’s a small expense now that prevents a major expense later.
2. Change Your Air Filters Regularly
The air filter in your heating system traps dust, dirt, and other particles from circulating throughout your home. When the filter becomes clogged, your furnace works harder to push air through it, increasing wear and tear on the system. Additionally, a dirty filter reduces airflow, making your furnace less efficient and less effective in heating your home.
Plan to change your air filter at least every three months or more frequently if you have pets or live in a dusty area. This simple maintenance task can significantly extend the life of your heating system and improve indoor air quality.
3. Keep Your Furnace Area Clean and Clear
Ensure the area around your furnace is tidy and unobstructed. Accumulated debris can pose a fire hazard, restrict airflow and cause the system to overheat. Regularly clean the area, removing dust, dirt and other objects hindering the furnace’s operation.
Remember, your furnace needs plenty of space to function properly, so avoid storing items too close to it. This simple step significantly extends your furnace’s life, promoting safety and efficiency.
4. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
You can remotely control your home’s temperature using a programmable thermostat. This will reduce energy usage as it will be possible to turn down the temperature during periods you’re not around or sleeping, then increase it, if necessary, while at home or away.
Also, there are models in which one can track a furnace remotely by giving alerts and notifications where any challenge in a furnace arises. This function can allow for early detection of issues, thereby avoiding massive failures that may be expensive and time consuming.
5. Upgrade to a Higher-Efficiency Furnace
If your furnace is nearing the end of its lifespan, consider upgrading to a high-efficiency model. These furnaces may demand larger initial investments than their counterparts. However, over time, it is cheaper in the long run concerning power bills.
The high-efficiency furnaces will have a more extended warranty than their counterparts. This will give you peace of mind and will probably cost less to repair. These heaters cost less and are good for the environment since they consume little energy to heat a house.
6. Ensure You’re Using the Right System for Your Home
You must make sure that your heating system or furnace is adequate for your house. The wrongly sized heater, such as an undersized furnace, will not efficiently warm the space, causing faster wear and potential breakdown. However, a too-big furnace may switch on and off too often, leaving areas in your home unheated, yet over-working your system.
Hire a specialized HVAC technician to help select the appropriate furnace size for your house and ensure proper installation. This measure can go a long way in prolonging your furnace’s lifespan, ultimately saving money.
7. Don’t Ignore Potential Problems
It is essential to deal with a furnace’s strange noises and odors immediately. Failure to consider them as such may result in a significant shutdown and expensive repair.
Moreover, watch out for any alterations in your energy bills. If you find an unusual rise, it may mean that your furnace has developed problems. Fixing the problem before it becomes a total failure will lengthen the lifespan of a furnace, thus saving on costs in the end.
Applying these techniques will increase your heater’s lifespan while helping your house remain warm during the freezing winter. Remember, regular maintenance will fix a problem before it escalates into larger, costly problems. If you require professional maintenance, AC repair or upgrading your furnace, call Lunsford Air Conditioning & Heating in Navarre, FL today.
Image provided by iStock
