Residents in Tallahassee depend on their home’s furnace for safety and comfort throughout the winter months. Many savvy homeowners even start the heating season with a professional furnace tune-up to ensure that their heating system is ready to endure the long cold winter months. But there are several other simple things that homeowners can do throughout the winter to lessen the workload on their furnace and extend its life expectancy. In return, they will enjoy added longevity of the system, lower heating costs, and less worry about waking up to a cold house and a broken furnace.

Go Programmable

For a minimal investment, you can install a programmable thermostat to control your home’s furnace. Not only will this take a little stress off the furnace, but it will also provide you with added energy efficiency and cost savings on your heating bills. Keeping your home at an ideal temperature 24/7 is a waste of money and the life of your furnace. Using a programmable thermostat, you can lower the temperature just a few degrees at night when you are asleep and during the day when no one is at home. That small change in the temperature setting will decrease the furnace’s workload and save you as much as 10% on your monthly heating bills. Best of all, you will never notice any difference in your comfort level. 

Seal Those Leaks

If you have gaps around windows and under doors, you could be losing a lot of warmed air. Even cracked window panes or windows with a broken seal could be stealing your warmed air. Fixing the drafts around doors and windows, repairing leaking windows, and adding heavy insulating curtains can significantly reduce the heat lost from your home. These simple steps will help your home remain more comfortable, reduce the furnace’s workload, and reward you with lower energy bills each month.

Check The Vents

If you have a room that constantly feels cooler than the rest of the house, look at all the heating vents. If you have inadvertently blocked a vent with furniture, long curtains, or other décor, that could be the reason for your discomfort. And it could be why you felt the need to increase the thermostat setting for your furnace. Be sure that all of the vents in the room are free from any obstruction to allow the warmed air to easily circulate and keep the space warm and cozy.  Also, understand that your furnace was designed to heat your entire home evenly. So closing doors to rooms that are not in use is not an ideal solution to saving on your heating bill. Instead, keep all doors open to allow air to circulate throughout the space as it was intended. 

For a furnace inspection and tune-up or for more information about increasing the unit’s energy efficiency, call (850) 831-4599. The experts at Payne’s Heating and Air Conditioning  are happy to help you get the most out of your heating budget this winter with helpful winter heating tips and services.