Furnace Tips

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Air Filters​

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Change or clean your furnace filter at least every 3 months. Dust and dirt can quickly clog vital parts, making your furnace run harder and eventually break down.​

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Do not stack multiple filters. Doing so will cause more restriction reducing airflow and increasing temperatures in the furnace that could lead to long term damage to your equipment.

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Filter Location

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A forced air furnace should have a filter installed before the furnace. This can be at the cold air return grill, near the furnace or in the furnace. 

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If you don't know where your filters are, they may be hidden in the cold air return beside or above the furnace. If there is no access door you may need to reach through the furnace to remove them from the cold air return. Make sure your furnace is powered off before reaching inside! This is common on downflow furnaces where two filters are installed above the furnace in a V pattern. These can be tough to access. We can normally add an access door to make things easier.

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Heat Registers/Vents

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If you have a forced-air furnace, do NOT close heat registers in unused rooms. Your furnace is designed to heat a specific square footage of space and can't sense a register is closed - it will continue working at the same pace, may overheat and cause damage. In addition, the cold air from unheated rooms can escape into the rest of the house, reducing the effectiveness of all your insulating and weatherizing.

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Air Duct Cleaning​

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Recent studies have shown minimal improvement in indoor air quality with duct cleaning alone. The most important thing is maintaining good airflow with a good air filter or filtration system. If you are looking to have your ducts cleaned make sure the whole system is cleaned including the furnace, blower, and ac/heat pump coil. This is especially important in homes with pets and after construction because any dust and dirt that gets around the filter can buildup in the blower wheel, heat exchangers, and coils. Reducing airflow causing poor temperature balance and possible damage to equipment. if excessive buildup is found a technician may have to remove components for a more thorough cleaning at an additional cost.

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Dryer Vent Cleaning

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Your dryer vent should be cleaned every two years to keep things running efficiently and prevent fire hazards. 

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Thermostats

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Install a programmable thermostat. If you use it to set back the temperature by 10 degrees for eight hours every night, you'll lower your heating bills by 10 percent. A digital thermostat can pay for itself in energy savings in less than a year.

 

Don't set the thermostat higher than you actually want it. It won't heat your home any faster, and it will keep your furnace running longer than necessary.

 

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Alternative Ventilation for hot days

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For the hot months of summer try a whole-house attic fan. This device pushes hot air out through attic vents, lowering the temperature throughout your home up to 20 degrees on those really hot days. Attic fans cost less than $1.00 per day to operate.

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Preventing Carbon Monoxide

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Prevention is the only way to deal with carbon monoxide, and the best prevention is regular inspection by a service technician.

A fuel burning appliance could produce carbon monoxide if:

*Boxes, laundry or other materials are blocking the base, restricting oxygen flow.
*The vent hood, pipes or flues are blocked or corroded.
*The unit is installed or adjusted improperly.
*It's used incorrectly (i.e., heating a room with a gas stove).
*The heat exchanger is cracked, plugged or corroded.

 

Natural gas furnaces should be inspected every year; other appliances, such as water heaters, clothes dryers and stoves, should be checked every two years. If you have a natural gas fireplace, it should be serviced regularly as well.

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Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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If you have natural gas appliances, a carbon monoxide detector is a must for keeping your family safe.

These devices work like smoke detectors, sounding an audible alarm if a certain level of carbon monoxide (CO) is detected. Don't forget they need to be replaced every 5 years.

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For more information, please don't hesitate to schedule a visit from us to give you a complete, thorough and honest evaluation of your system!