The typical lifespan of a furnace ranges between 15 to 20 years. However, it is possible to get some more years out of it with proper care and maintenance. In today’s post, EZ Air Conditioning and Heating shares some tips on how to care for your furnace.
- Schedule annual maintenance. The importance of annual furnace maintenance appointments cannot be overstated. An annual tune-up, conducted by a professional heating technician not only ensures efficient performance, but also allows identification of potential issues that could lead to costly repairs if left unaddressed.
- Do not put off repairs. Whether an issue is found during a routine maintenance check or you’ve noticed something is amiss, having repairs done immediately can prevent small issues from escalating. Another benefit of timely repairs is the smaller scope of repairs, which would come with a lower total cost.
- Optimize your thermostat settings. Programmable and smart thermostats do more than just set furnace run times. With the right settings, it can help reduce the workload on your entire HVAC system and, consequently, reduce wear and energy consumption. Setting your furnace between 68 and 72 degrees may seem to be on the cool side, but it’s actually comfortable enough but won’t strain your furnace.
- Use your ceiling fans. Many people think ceiling fans are only used when the air conditioner isn’t running, but it’s designed to create airflow that distributes conditioned air in the room. Keeping in mind that warm air naturally rises and settles near the ceiling, you’ll need to set your ceiling fan’s direction to clockwise. This pushes the air downwards and redistributes the heat from the ceiling. During the cooling season, the reverse is true. Since cool settles close to the floor, setting the ceiling fan’s direction to counterclockwise creates an upward air current that pulls cool air.
- Address insulation issues. The ceiling, walls and fenestrations (windows, entry doors and skylights) comprise your home’s energy envelope. If properly insulated, your home would lose heat much slower during the heating season, which would shorten the needed running times for your furnace.
For more information on how to get the most out of your heating system, give our team at EZ Air Conditioning and Heating a call at (210) 429-9186. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation.
