Common Heating-Related Mistakes People Make
Posted on: 30 April 2020
Running your home's furnace might seem simple and easy, but there are a number of common and basic mistakes that people make when heating their home. Avoid these common heating-related mistakes, and you'll both keep your heating bills lower and help your furnace last much longer.
Closing the Vents in Unoccupied Rooms
Many people close the heating vents in unused rooms so that warm air, which the furnace must work to heat up, isn't sent into these unoccupied rooms. On the surface, this would seem to lower heating bills since you don't have to heat as many rooms — but most homeowners who do this don't actually see significantly reduced heating costs.
When you close off vents, your furnace must work harder because it still warms and moves the same amount of air. It must push the air through less ventilation, though, and the fan must exert more force to get the same volume of warmed air through the smaller total vent space.
The increased effort that the furnace must make can actually raise heating bills, and it causes extra wear and tear on the system. If you close off vents frequently, the extra wear and tear will eventually cause your furnace to need replacement sooner than it otherwise would. Replacing your furnace will cost more than anything you might theoretically save in monthly bills.
Setting Furniture on Top of Vents
Setting furniture on top of vents has the same effect as closing the vents. Not only will the system be unable to deliver warm air through any vents that furniture blocks, but the furnace will also have to work harder in order to flush the warmed air through less open ductwork. Higher monthly bills and a shorter furnace lifespan are both likely if you block vents with furniture.
Skipping an Annual Tune-Up
Forgoing an annual tune-up can prove to be a costly mistake. While you might save a nominal service call fee by not getting a tune-up, your furnace is much more likely to have major issues later on if you don't get it serviced.
Regular tune-ups ensure everything is working properly, and they provide HVAC technicians with an opportunity to address minor issues before they're big problems. You should have a furnace tune-up performed each year.
Forgetting to Change the Air Filter
The air filter in a furnace traps dust and other particles. It doesn't need to be changed out when a furnace isn't in use, but it ought to be replaced when a furnace is used frequently. Many homeowners forget to do this.
To learn more, contact a company that provides heating services in your area.
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