It’s a marshmallow world this time of year, but not the toasted type. You presumably had your pre-season tune-up at the beginning of October to remain warm this winter. Your heater should fit like a glove. We’re willing to bet you didn’t think of a few things to prepare for the impending cold. Fortunately, there is still time to use these ideas and strategies to remain warm and save money on your heating costs.
1. Prepare Your Home for Winter
Keeping your house warm might be difficult when warm air escapes, but this is a simple remedy that does not need the services of a professional. Caulking around windows and installing weather strips around doors are all required. This will not only keep the warm air inside but also the cold air out. It’s cost-effective to keep warm this winter without increasing your heating or power expenses.
2. Close Up the Chimney
There’s no need. It would help to leave the damper open when not using your gas or wood stove. In case you didn’t know, a drag is a moveable plate that lies above the fireplace, just before the chimney. When closed, it prevents warm air from rising in the duct and cold air from entering. When opened, they enable smoke from a fire vent. Get out of the house. This is because of the suction effect, which pulls air out of your house. You may save money on your home heating bills if you shut it while no one uses the stove. It is important to remember that you should wait until all the coals and smoke have gone out before taking away your stove.
dissipated from your house before shutting it. Do not use your fireplace with the damper entirely or even partly closed.
3. Do Not Experiment with the Thermostat
Setting your heat low won’t help your air conditioner to cool faster; raising it much will not help your furnace or heat pump heat more quickly. It will just damage your unit and increase your heating expenses. Warming it early is the key to keeping your house warm when winter comes. If you wait until your home is freezing, you must layer up or use space heaters to stay warm. This brings us to the next point.
4. Use Portable Heaters
If you want more warmth, utilize a portable space heater. That way, you won’t have to turn on your heater whenever you become cold. Remember to switch off these heaters if you are not going to be in the room with them. It is dangerous to leave this device unattended.
5. Change Your Furnace Filter
You did this when you had your tune-up in the autumn, but if you still need to, replace your furnace filter. This should ideally be completed before the start of the heating season. This will guarantee that your house has sufficient ventilation and quality. A clogged filter might have an influence on these as well as the efficiency of your unit.
6. Create an Outdoor Unit Shelter
If you foresee snow and ice, you should consider erecting a shelter for your outside unit. You don’t want to entirely cover your team since this may trap moisture and create corrosion, and you certainly don’t want to cover a heat pump because these devices operate all year. You want to safeguard the fan without entirely shutting down the machine. If the fan freezes, the device will not function correctly. It will try to start up over and over again until it fails. A simple building that looks like a roof or lean-to made of fence materials will shield your outside unit from the elements throughout the winter.
Please call Union City HVAC Service for additional information on winterizing your HVAC unit. You may contact us by phone or online through our website. Do not hesitate to arrange an appointment if your unit requires servicing. Our educated personnel are standing by to assist you!