Affordable Furnace Repair
Furnace Tips
Air Filters
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.
Filter Location
If you don't know where your filters are they maybe hidden on the cold air return side or above the furnace. If there is no access door you may need to reach through the furnace(simply open the front covers) to remove them from the cold air return. Make sure your furnace is powered off before reaching inside!
Heat Registers/Vents
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. 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.
Thermostats
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.
Alternative Ventilation for hot days
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.
Preventing Carbon Monoxide
Prevention is the only way to deal with carbon monoxide, and the best prevention is regular inspection by a service technician.
An 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.
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.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
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. Dont forget they need to be replaced every 5 years.
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!
