Improving Furnace Efficiency in Your Maryland Home
M
ost modern furnaces can reach efficiencies of 90 percent or more – which means better system performance and lower heating bills for you, especially when replacing an aging heating system. If your current furnace is 10 years old or more, a furnace upgrade can be a smart move that pays for itself in just a few short years.
But what if your current furnace is still relatively new and in good condition? In that case, you might be better off making smaller investments of time and money in other areas that will keep your furnace efficiency as high as possible. Here are a few suggestions:
- Get annual preventative maintenance – Preventive maintenance is the key to keeping your furnace running better for longer, to keeping energy bills as low as possible, and to avoiding unnecessary – and potentially costly – furnace repairs.
- Weatherize – Besides making you feel less comfortable, drafts and air leaks in your home will also make your furnace work harder to do its job, which is the opposite of operating efficiently. Measures such as caulk, weather stripping, and door sweeps will help you manage air leaks without breaking the bank.
- Insulate attics and crawl spaces – Properly insulating unconditioned spaces could cut 5-10 percent of your heating and cooling bills – often enough to offset the cost of installation in just a year or two. Check out these DOE insulation tips and guidelines.
- Consider zone heating solutions – A popular option in multilevel homes, zone system heating divides the home into separate areas, each of which is controlled by its own thermostat; this allows you to “spend” heat in areas where you need it most.
- Take advantage of the sun – Choose window treatments that easily allow the sun to heat rooms during the day, then prevent that heat from escaping at night. Check out these tips on window treatments for your Maryland home.
- Use ceiling fans – It may not seem to make sense to use fans to warm your space, but a fan that pushes rising warm air back into the room will do just that. Most of today’s ceiling fans can be reversed to accomplish this trick in the winter, then set back to draw cool air up in the summer.
When the time comes, make a sensible furnace upgrade
As furnaces age, they lose efficiency; breakdowns also become more likely. Consider new furnace systems if:
- Your furnace system is over 10 years old
- Your furnace needs constant repairs
- Your furnace is not performing as well as it should (higher bills, less comfort) despite regular maintenance.
If you need to replace your furnace, the experts at Carroll Home Services can help you find a solution that works for you, then get it installed quickly and correctly so you can get back to enjoying a warm home and lower bills.
Need furnace maintenance or a furnace upgrade for your Maryland home? We can help! Contact our expert team today for expert furnace service in Maryland, or for help choosing a heating system that’s right for your space and budget.
