Tips to Increase Furnace Efficiency

Even though life has been far from predictable this year, you can be sure of one thing: it’s eventually going to get cold in Kansas City. In fact, we can almost guarantee that it’s going to get VERY cold.




To prepare for the upcoming drop in temperatures, we would like to give you tips to increase your furnace’s efficiency. Here are some ideas on how to save on your heating bills this winter.




Change your furnace filter.

A dirty and clogged filter will cause your heating system to work harder than it would with a new, clean filter. Treat your furnace to a new filter every 90 days, and see if you notice a change in your furnace’s efficiency.




Make sure your ducts are sealed.


You want to make sure that the warm air that your system is producing ends up where it needs to be. Check your air ducts to see if they are sealed. Do you need help with this? Contact Schomburg Heating and Cooling.




Program your thermostat so that your furnace is only working when you need it to be.


There’s no need to keep your home a warm 78 degrees throughout the day if no one is at home to enjoy it. Program your thermostat, so it only needs to work hard when your brood is gathered together for family time.




Reverse your ceiling fan’s direction.


A teacher probably once told you that warm air rises. Even though we can’t explain the science behind this, we know that if you reverse your ceiling fan’s direction, your furnace won’t have to work so hard. For an explanation of why this occurs, we suggest that you contact your high school physics teacher.




Let the sun shine in!


Use the sunshine to your advantage. Open the curtains and use the sun’s rays to heat south-facing parts of your home.




Use insulated curtains.


Once the sun goes down, draw your curtains over your drafty windows. You’ll save so much on your energy bills that you’ll be able to afford new windows that aren’t so drafty.




Make sure your registers are not blocked.


Rethink the arrangement of your furniture. Does the giant chest of drawers in your bedroom block the register? It might be time to change the configuration of your room so as not to restrict airflow.




Bake some cookies.


Oven use is known to heat the home. If your furnace is having a hard time keeping up on an unusually cold day, why not bake some cookies? Plus . . . COOKIES!




Close your garage door.


You may have gotten into the habit of leaving your garage door open during the day. During the winter, you may try to retrain yourself to close the door. Even if your garage is not heated, it is another barrier between your living room and the frigid temperatures outdoors.




Call Schomburg!


The most important thing you can do to make sure your furnace is running efficiently is to call Schomburg Heating and Cooling. We have been serving Kansas City homeowners since 1991, and our technicians would be happy to look at your heating unit to make sure it is running efficiently and safely. Give us a call to schedule a winter maintenance visit today!

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