Stay Warm by Maintaining Your Heating System
Maintaining Your Heating System
Simple heating system maintenance can go a long way towards saving money on utility usage and costly repairs-plus you will stay comfortable in your own home. It is not unusual to not notice your heating system – until it has broken down when you need it most. For this reason, you need to maintain your system to the highest standard. In some cases, it is possible to nullify a warrantee without proper, regular maintenance. Read your warrantee and be aware of what it means , what it handles, and how you can keep it valid. Also be aware of exactly what damages or repairs it covers.
What Can a Homeowner do to Maintain Their Heating System?
Keep the Air Filter Clean at all Times
The air intake filter is easily a main culprit when it comes to losing heating efficiency in a gas furnace or electric heating system. Dust and dirt clog the filter, making air exchange slow and labored, increasing fuel or electricity costs and possibly damaging the unit. Often a dirty filter will be noticed when the unit does not turn off often or at all. Vacuuming the filter or or better yet replacing it is much more efficient than waiting until the system breaks down. Depending upon usage, replacement should only be needed once a month or at minimum four times per year. Regularly inspecting of the filter should indicate how often this should be done. This can also double up benefits by making the air cleaner in your home or office environment. Also, keep heating vents clean, increasing positive air flow. For highest efficiency, do not block vents or air intakes with furniture or other items.
If You Use Propane for Fuel-Check the Level
When you have a propane furnace, keep an eye on the fuel level. What may seem like a breakdown may be too low a level of the gas you use. This can also prevent an extra charge for an emergency fill-up in the case of the furnace going out on the holiday or a weekend, as it often seems it will. During warmer months, a pilot light for a gas furnace may be put out, saving a small amount of gas.
If You Depend Upon a Heat Pump to Heat Your Home Make Sure the Outside Unit is Clean Year Round
For the unit or heat pump outside, check the area regularly for debris or vegetation that may interfere with operation. Keep this area clear and clean to allow easy access and improve conditions for the unit. There should be open space to all sides of the unit, and protecting it from weather doesn’t hurt . It is a given that any heating system or gas furnace will lose efficiency over a period of time, but you can still keep it in the best working order possible. Proper maintenance throughout the year between annual tune-ups will improve your efficiency and most likely keep your warrantee requirements in place.
Hire a Professional for Your Heating System Tune-up
A seasonal tune-up is needed to keep your heating system or gas furnace in the best possible repair. Similar to a car engine, the parts and accessories in a heating system or gas furnace can breakdown over time. It is not a good idea for anyone to tamper with the heating system or gas furnace unit except for a professionally licensed heating contractor. While there are some things a home or business owner can do to maintain the system throughout the year, the unit should remain the domain only of the heating company used to install and repair the system.
Annual tune-ups can do much by way of reducing costly repairs from an unmaintained system and increase energy or fuel efficiency as well. The tune-up should be done before operation of the unit is needed, because it can be an unpleasant surprise to find your system needs repairs, even at the very start of the cold season. There are many indications that it is time for a heater tune-up. Make sure to secure an appointment every year. Most tune-ups can be done quickly with minimal interruption in your home or office.
Choose a Professional Heating Contractor
A heating contractor installs, maintains, repairs, and replaces heating systems and gas furnaces. They are knowledgeable about every part of your heating system or gas furnace, and can usually diagnose a problem very quickly. The best contractors are licensed, and can give you advice, explain how your system works, and help you find the most efficient unit for your home or business. They are often up to date on the latest and best heating technologies for the home, and can advise when it is best to replace your system to something more cost and energy efficient.
Ask your contractor what the best temperature settings are for your unit during the coldest part of the year, and feel free to also ask about what steps you can take to continue maintaining your gas furnace or electric heating system. They are full of hints, tips, and tricks from years of valuable experience that will help you save on your energy bill.
Leave The Heating Tune-up To The Professional
Heating Tune-ups are best left to the professionals. They have the experience to keep your system operating at peak efficiency. There are too many adjustments and too many electrical components for the average homeowner to be proficient in this task.
This article is compliemnts of Vanderford Mechanical. A Dickinson Texas Heating Contractor with over 35 years experience maintaining and installing heating systems.