Simple Ways to Prepare Your Furnace for Winter Weather

Simple Ways to Prepare Your Furnace for Winter Weather

We’re still several weeks away from the end of cold weather, which means protecting your heating equipment is as important as ever. If you’ve been procrastinating and still need to prepare your furnace for winter, you should utilize these tips immediately:

• Schedule a tune-up: If your furnace still hasn’t been checked by a professional technician this season, have it serviced right away. In addition to improving efficiency, maintenance will help your system last longer. For the future, keep in mind that a tune-up should be done once a year to keep your furnace in good shape.
• Replace the filter: Once a furnace filter gets clogged with dirt and debris, its efficiency is negatively affected. Replacement usually needs to be done every one to three months, so make sure you check it every 30 days.
• Upgrade the filter: If you’re using a flat filter, consider switching to either a pleated, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) or electrostatic filter. These types are more energy-efficient.
• Install a programmable thermostat: Manual thermostats are a thing of the past. With a programmable model, you have better control over your heating needs by designating the times during which your furnace is in operation. A good way to save energy and money during the winter is to set your new thermostat to a lower temperature while you’re sleeping or away.
• Clean vents and ducts: Dirty vents and ducts can impede airflow and force your furnace to work harder, wasting valuable energy and possibly damaging the lifespan of your system. You should wipe away any dust you find to improve efficiency.
• Check the exhaust flues outside: Exhaust flues that have been blocked by debris, such as animal nests or branches, will impede healthy airflow. As such, you should remove any obstructions you find.

For more expert advice on how to prepare your furnace for winter, or if you have any other questions related to home comfort, please don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at Air-Tro, Inc. We’ve been serving the HVAC needs of Pasadena and the surrounding area since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Los Angeles, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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