3 Big Mistakes That Can Ruin Home Heating Efficiency

With snowstorms already arrived and again soon in the forecast, we pay more attention to our home heating systems. You want to make sure yours is running efficiently so you can maintain a comfortable home throughout the season (without breaking the bank!).

While a Young’s Heating & Cooling Home Comfort Plan will better ensure HVAC efficiencies, we know not all of our customers take advantage of it.

Knowing this, we at least want to warn them about some big mistakes commonly made that can threaten the efficiency of your HVAC system.

Clutter Around Your Heating Unit

Your furnace needs to circulate air and will do so more easily if the space around it is free of clutter. Typically, furnaces are in basements and we know those are popular spaces for storage. Through the years, you’d be amazed at how much “stuff” gets stored in your basement.

While clutter is sometimes hard to avoid, be mindful of where it might impede airflow.

Storing items too close to a furnace can also pose a fire risk. (There is a flame in there.)

Lastly, if you furnace needs to be serviced, the HVAC technician will need to access and work in a clutter-free space.

We suggest keeping a 3- foot to 5-foot clearance around your furnace for efficiency and safety.

Forgotten Filters

Your filters keep dust and dirt in the air from clogging your furnace. As the filters become full of this debris, air movement is impeded. This will require your furnace to work harder and could mean higher costs to maintain your preferred level of comfort in the home.

The air filter on your HVAC system should be replaced every 1-3 months so that the air in your home is clean and fresh and flows freely.

If you have a pet, a large family, (or live in an area where outdoor dust easily makes its way indoors), you will need to change the filter more regularly than a home with few people and no pets. Plan to change the filter each month. If you don’t see evidence of a lot of debris, you can change it less frequently.

Poor Insulation

Sufficient insulation equals efficient HVAC. Leaks throughout your home that allow for cold air to seep in will trigger your heating unit to activate more often. The more it runs, the more you’ll pay.

Examine areas in your home where better insulation might prevent leakage. Attics and crawl spaces are the best place to start. From there, check around windows and doorways. Even a simple, inexpensive draft dodger placed at a door’s base, complemented with proper window sealants can make a big difference in how efficiently your home heating (and cooling, for that matter) system runs.

We Make Home Comfort Easy

Young’s heating and cooling services make it easy for you to maintain comfortable temperatures in your home while keeping costs down. We offer year-round services including heating and cooling installation, preventative maintenance services, oil burner tune-ups, HVAC inspections, and more.

We’ve been serving the Upper Perkiomen Valley and surrounding areas for decades.

Need an upgrade to your home’s HVAC? We have financing options for customers in need of heating and cooling installations. Give us a call!