Winter brings brutally low temperatures, snow, sleet, heavy winds and rains to many American states. These weather conditions can take a tow on your home, especially the exterior. One of your primary concerns during this time will be to keep your energy bill to a minimum. Since your furnace is one of biggest energy-consumers in your home, it is crucial to keep it in good condition. Just the slightest malfunction will leave you and your family in the cold. While the rest of your home is protected by the efforts you took in the fall, your furnace is left to fend for its own. The tips below will ensure your furnace is operating efficiently, your home is comfortable and energy bill is at a minimum.
Look To Properly Read The Flames
Since your furnace operates off natural or propane gas it goes through the combustion process in order to produce a flame and keep you warm. This basically means that anytime your system is running there is going to be several flames present. Learning to learn these flames can tell you if your system isn’t operating up to par. Start by turning the thermostat off and removing the front door to your furnace. It should be the top door, as the blower is located in the bottom door.
Once you have the door off, you want to go ahead and set the thermostat, so that the furnace will kick on. Give the process just a few minutes and the furnace will kick on. Once the flames are present you should notice that they are a fairly even and blue. This will indicate that everything is operating, as it should. If you notice a yellow presence in the flame this most likely indicates that your burners are dirty.
Air Filter Replacement
In order for a furnace to operate efficiently, you must replace the air filter at least twice a year. When you purchase your furnace new, it will come with a user’s manual. In the manual, you will find recommendations pertaining to replacement of the air filter. Follow those recommendations and your furnace will continue to operate efficiently, which in turn will keep your energy bill at a minimum.
It has been proven that a dirty air filter will cause the onboard motor and fan to work harder. When this happens, the energy bill will increase and airflow will become restricted. Another risk of a dirty air filter is interior component failure, which will call for expensive repairs. When it comes to repairs, you will need to find a service provider through a search enquiry of furnace repair Fort Collins.
Routine Register Cleaning
Dirt and debris will fall into the floor vents or registers, causing improper airflow. While there is no way possible to prevent this from happening, there are ways to prevent the airflow from becoming restricted. Of course, the airflow will probably never become completely blocked, since the ductwork is extremely large. However, the slightest restriction will cause your furnace’s onboard motor and fan to work harder. Which in turn will drive up your energy bill.
The best way to clean your floor registers is with a vacuum. Make sure the vacuum has an extended nozzle, so you can reach down into the duct to remove most or all of the debris.
