Being here in Greene County during the harsh cold of winter, no one wants to have to deal with a furnace that doesn’t seem to keep up with the cold. When it happens, especially during the holidays, it brings serious difficulties.
Rest assured, nevertheless, there are ways to keep your furnace effective, bringing steady heat when the weather is bad.
In this week’s blog post, we at Beavercreek Heating & Cooling examine some of those ways in this blog post.
Never Turn Your Heat Off Entirely
In the fall and early winter, it is often a sound idea to turn off your unit when you are at work or you’re on vacation, and it’s not being used. It can save you cash on your heating bill. With that being said, we do not suggest turning it off altogether when it gets too cold. When you turn off your furnace entirely during the colder months, it’s much more difficult to get it back up and going again. Turning it off and on this time of year is harsh on your furnace too. And remember your pipes! Most homeowners know that leaving on a little heat will protect you from freezing and broken pipes. The universal rule of thumb or “temperature alert threshold” for freezing pipes is about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Furnaces Need To be Cleaned Out
Never forget, it’s always important to sustain a minimal five-foot perimeter of space surrounding your furnace. An obvious reason for this rule is because your furnace has a fire within it. That’s how it heats your house! So keep that space outside of it free and clear, but keep in mind, just because the outside of your furnace seems clean does not mean that the insides are clean. If you’ve had your furnace off for some months, there’s a reasonable likelihood that it’s dusty inside. So, this is yet another reason why you need to have an expert have a close look before firing it up for the winter.
Never Neglect Your Tune-ups
Regular annual servicing is vital for keeping your furnace healthy and operating well for years to come. When we come over for these annual check-ups, we check a whole list of things. We clean and take care of things that need to be taken care of. We check the system’s voltage and pipes, among other things, to prepare it for the upcoming season.
The Unit Could Be Too Small
If your furnace is undersized, it can debilitate itself and cease functioning. This overexertion causes faster breakdown times while failing to produce adequate heat to keep your place warm. The easiest way to find out if your furnace is too small is to turn up your thermostat and wait to see how long it takes to arrive at the precise temperature.
The Unit Could Be Too Big
It’s also a bad thing when your furnace is too big. A furnace that’s too big will exhaust itself negatively concerning your comfort level. A sure sign of this is when your house gets hotter than you would prefer it to be. It can also mess with the ductwork from the furnace leading into the home.
Keep Your Vents Clear
This goes along with maintaining a clean and clear unit. Keep stuff off of your vents. Keep them clear. When your vents get blocked, it can impact how the group gets air. Furnaces need to air. If your furnace isn’t getting air, it will shut off entirely.
If you find yourself experiencing any of these issues with your furnace this winter, please don’t hesitate to call Beavercreek Heating & Cooling at 937-708-8527 or schedule an appointment now online at www.beavercreekheatingandcooling.com/schedule-now/.
