Homeowners can implement several strategies to increase the longevity of the home’s furnace. One important action is to schedule heater maintenance in Austin TX with a licensed heating and cooling service once per year. During that appointment, a technician inspects the furnace components and cleans the equipment. This involves the very simple project of checking the air filter once a month and changing the filter as needed.
Ideally, the furnace runs as little as possible and does not have to run for an extended time whenever it turns on. This is why experts recommend keeping the thermostat set at 66 to 68 degrees during the winter and lower when nobody is home. That temperature range seems to keep most people comfortable if they’re willing to wear warm clothing, like sweaters over turtleneck shirts. Some rooms may feel chillier than others. If the house has any drafty windows, covering them with plastic in the winter makes those rooms warmer by blocking cold air.
Other energy-saving measures also increase the life of the appliance. Interestingly, most people never think of running a ceiling fan during the winter, but these devices have a setting for this season. Instead of generating a cool breeze, the blades move warm air down from the top of the room, keeping the heat where it’s needed.
If someone is home all day but mostly spends time in one room, running a small electric space heater can save money. The home’s thermostat could be set at 60 degrees since nobody is occupying the rest of the house. At night, sleeping under several blankets and a quilt or using an electric blanket brings comfortable warmth when the thermostat is set at 60 degrees.
Keeping the house at optimum humidity allows people to feel more comfortable at lower temperatures. If the furnace doesn’t include a whole-house humidifier, a technician can install one while doing Heater Maintenance in Austin TX.
