4 Ways to Prepare Your Heating System for Winter

1. Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter

By trapping particles of dust, dirt, and debris, the air filter of your furnace protects the heating system from becoming dirty or clogged. This allows the unit to circulate air effectively, without requiring extra effort or energy usage. However, the air filter can only catch so many of these damaging particles before the filter itself becomes clogged, and, as a result, it will get more and more difficult for the heating unit to pull air through. This puts excessive wear on the appliance, raising the cost of your heating bills and making a breakdown far more likely. Once a month or so, take the time to check your furnace’s air filter. If you’re able to clean it, that will help, but if it’s especially dirty or clogged, you’ll want to replace it instead.

2. Seal Up Your Leaks

One of the things that puts the most unnecessary strain on a furnace is warm air escaping from the home it’s trying to heat. Air leaks, no matter how small, can be a major source of this problem, along with cold air seeping in from outside. When this is occurring, your heating system must compensate for that lost heat, meaning it needs to work much harder just to keep you warm. This is hard on the appliance and wastes significant amounts of energy.

You can combat this by regularly inspecting your house for leaks and sealing up any that you find. Usually, these cracks and gaps will be found near the edges of your windows, doorways, or garage door. You can find them with either a close visual inspection or by carefully moving your hand around the area to locate any air movement. Once you’ve located them, you can either seal them yourself with caulking and tools from a hardware store, or, if you prefer, you can entrust the job to a professional.

3. Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up

A furnace that has received regular maintenance and proper care will typically be much better equipped to handle the extra usage that comes with the cold season. In general, you should schedule one of these tune-ups each year, but even if you haven’t always kept up with them in the past, the early part of winter is the perfect time to start. During a routine maintenance visit, your heating contractor will make any necessary adjustments to the appliance to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, your heating contractor will check for any upcoming issues on the horizon and, if possible, take preventive measures to keep them from materializing. As a result, you’ll be warmer, save money on energy bills, and avoid the frustration and cost of a breakdown this winter.

4. Use a Humidifier

With winter comes dry air, and because dry air has trouble transferring heat, it will make your house feel colder than it really is. By using a humidifier, your indoor air will regain much of that moisture, which will allow you to feel significantly warmer in your home without needing to crank up the thermostat. Taking that pressure off of your furnace will go a long way toward keeping your system healthier and your bills at a reasonable level.

Swanton Energy Services has been assisting residents of the Atlantic Highlands, NJ, area with their comfort needs since 2015. We’re proud to serve our clients with high-quality heating, cooling, indoor air quality, and energy services. We’re locally owned and operated, and we back every job we do with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Call us today at (732) 708-7926">(732) 708-7926 to make an appointment with one of our friendly technicians.