If you’ve invested in an energy efficient furnace, you know the winter months are when it’s going to show its return on investement. These innovative HVAC systems can help cut back the amount of energy or gas used to heat your home compared to older and less efficient models. With winter months approaching here in the Rio Grande Valley, we’ve prepared some helpful steps you can take to ensure your furnace will operate efficiently and effectively throughout the season.
1. Schedule a routine maintenance visit before winter weather arrives.
The last thing you want is to turn on your furnace on the first cold day in the Rio Grande Valley only to realize it’s not working properly. It’s important to have a HVAC professional inspect your furnace, as these individuals have been trained and certified to ensure your HVAC equipment is safe and working correctly. Keeping your equipment regularly maintained will not only help the product operate smoothly, but it will help enhance the energy efficiency of your furnace, as well.
2. Check your heat exchanger.
Broken or improperly functioning heat exchangers mix combustion gases with the air in your home. This leads to safety concerns with carbon monoxide poisoning. Simply inspect your furnace’s combustion chamber for cracks. If you detect strange odors coming from the heater after a while, shut it off and call a professional. Your heat exchanger is an important component of creating an energy efficient furnace. When it’s working properly, the equipment doesn’t have to work as hard or use as much energy to produce the heat you desire.
3. Change your air filter.
When’s the last time you changed your filter? Now is the time. Clean filters will help improve your system’s air flow and could lead to better energy efficiency, as well. Pleated, HEPA and electrostatic filters can also help enhance the furnace’s energy efficiency, so consider upgrading if you’re currently using a flat filter. We recommend checking your filter once a month to see whether it needs to be changed.
Follow these steps to create a more energy efficient home this winter season. Or, if you’re due for a repair, Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. offers a variety of energy efficient furnaces. We’re happy to walk you through the latest and greatest HVAC systems available in the Rio Grande Valley.