It is important to stay warm and toasty in cold weather. There are a number of things you can do to get it right, like correct furnace size Or Using the Best Insulation While rebuilding.
But what are some home heating mistakes you can fix to help you stay warm while saving energy and money?
meet the expert
- Brad Roberson He is president of Aire Serv Heating & Air Conditioning, a neighboring company.
- bill taylor HVAC Contractor Manager at South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas.
Not changing filters regularly
The air filter captures debris and other impurities from the home and prevents them from going back through the furnace.
“Forgetting to change the air filter regularly can cause the system to work harder,” says Brad Roberson, president of Air Serve Heating & Air Conditioning. “This causes the system to work harder to maintain the set temperature, which increases utility bills.”
He says this is the solution change air filter Every 30 to 90 days, depending on how often the system is used and the needs of the residents.
Bill Taylor of South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas says it also helps to mark monthly reminders on your online or wall calendar.
“This keeps airflow strong and the system efficient, reducing the energy needed to heat your home,” says Taylor.
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Neglecting DIY Maintenance
Although changing the HVAC filter is important, it is not the only thing homeowners can do to maintain their furnace.
Although the HVAC system and furnace may seem intimidating, there are several things a homeowner can do to maintain their system:
- clean flame sensor, Cleaning HVAC Flame Sensor It’s a 30-minute job that helps keep the flame cleaner and running more efficiently.
- clean ductwork: Cleaning ducts throughout the house is for professionals. But if you have a shop vacuum, you can easily clean the visible parts of the HVAC ductwork.
- Maintain Condensate Pump:The condensate reservoir catches the condensed water, and the pump moves it to the outside. This pump is located outside the furnace. You can remove and clean the reservoir yourself. If the pump fails, you can replace the pump yourself.
Avoiding Professional Maintenance
When your home’s heating system is working well, it’s easy to forget that it still requires maintenance. You can do a lot of the maintenance yourself, but not everything.
Not having your HVAC or furnace serviced annually by certified HVAC technicians is a big home heating mistake, Roberson says.
“Homeowners should make sure to have the HVAC system or furnace serviced so it is ready to handle the cold weather.”
Taylor says scheduling an annual HVAC tune-up can catch problems like dirty coils that reduce system efficiency. “Regular maintenance ensures that your heating system will perform optimally throughout the season.
Taylor recommends scheduling an annual tune-up to keep the system running efficiently and reducing energy costs.
Non-Programmable Thermostat
If you’re constantly adjusting the thermostat by hand, it probably means you need a new thermostat. Still using an old dial-type or digital thermostat that is not programmable is a big home heating mistake that can waste energy and money.
The solution is to install a Programmable ThermostatA programmable thermostat lets you customize the home heating cycle to suit your life – whether you’re at home or away.
Taylor says these devices allow homeowners to set specific temperatures for different times of the day, reducing energy waste by automatically adjusting based on room usage. “Many utilities also offer rebates, making these thermostats an affordable upgrade.”
Smart thermostats can also track energy usage so homeowners can make adjustments as needed to help lower utility bills.
Thermostat set too high
If the thermostat is set too high, the heating system may run all day, causing very high utility bills.
Set the thermostat to a lower temperature during the day when no one is home, so the system doesn’t turn on when no one is home.
Keep the temperature around 64 to 75°F. If you are comfortable with the lower range, stick to that.
poorly maintained thermostat
Taylor says placing the thermostat near windows or in direct sunlight can result in inaccurate temperature readings. This causes the heating system to overwork due to incorrect readings.
Taylor recommends that you place the thermostat on an interior wall away from windows or direct sunlight to get accurate readings and ensure that the system heats the home efficiently without unnecessary energy use.
Placing the thermostat in a central, interior location prevents it from reacting to external heat sources, which could induce unnecessary heating cycles.
blocking hvac vent
One home heating mistake that is very easy to overlook is accidentally blocking an HVAC vent. Blocking vents with furniture or holiday decorations restricts airflow and can create cold spots.
Check every HVAC vent or register in the home. There may be boxes or furniture on top of floor vents. Even if they are not blocked, they may still close accidentally.
Slide the lever or turn the dial on the vent to open the register’s vents. They should be pointed upward (vertically), not sideways or diagonally.
closing unused rooms
Turning off HVAC registers in unused rooms would seem to be more energy-efficient. But that’s not the case, says Taylor
“Many people believe that closing vents in unused rooms saves energy, but it actually increases pressure on the system, causing airflow imbalance,” he says. “This will stress the HVAC system and may even cause leaks or overheating.”
He says the solution is to keep vents open in all rooms to ensure balanced airflow, which allows the HVAC system to operate efficiently and extends its lifespan.
Not using all thermostat functions
If you have a programmable thermostat but you don’t use all of its functions, that’s not unusual. It is common for homeowners to ignore or avoid using the thermostat’s full range of functions.
Doing this is a mistake because you are not allowing the thermostat to adapt to your lifestyle.
So, after installing a smart or programmable thermostat, learn how to use it.
Smart thermostats allow you to set a heating schedule that suits your lifestyle. Programming a lower temperature while you’re sleeping or away saves energy without sacrificing comfort at home.
leave draft open
Air leaks around doors, windows and poorly insulated areas lead to heat loss.
“Implementing weather stripping and improving insulation can help maintain a consistent indoor temperature, reducing heating demand,” says Taylor.
He recommends that you seal air leaks with inexpensive weather stripping to prevent heat loss and keep rooms warm. This will reduce the need for constant heating.
Not insulating windows or doors
Cracks in walls and around windows aren’t the only areas where air can enter the home. They can also enter through the edges of windows or doors.
one way to stay warm without turning up the heat Draft stoppers are to be used under doors and windows.
Consider using insulated or blackout curtains On Windows. These thick curtains are easy to install yet provide plenty of insulation against the cold coming in from the window.
Using a fireplace for heat
Complementing your HVAC furnace with a fireplace may seem like a wise decision. After all, you’re adding a low-cost energy source to your home heating system: wood.
But using a fireplace with HVAC is a heating mistake because most of the heat is concentrated in one area. If that area is also where the thermostat is located, other areas of the house get no or very little heat.
The thermostat recognizes that the desired heating level (by the fireplace) has been met, so it short cycle the furnace Or turns it on and off repeatedly.
Using a fireplace for heat also gets the air filter dirty faster if you have a working HVAC system.
running exhaust fans for too long
You probably have several exhaust fans in your home that are used to expel moist air, smoke, or heat. You will find these fans in kitchen, bathroom etc. laundry room,
When you are heating your home, you should use exhaust fansBut only as long as they are needed.
Leaving the exhaust fan on for too long is a mistake because it also removes the heat generated by the HVAC system.
Place exhaust fans on a timer so that they turn off within 10 to 20 minutes, or as long as necessary – but not longer.
leave windows open
Cold air comes in through the cracks around the windows. But it often comes from a source you may have forgotten about: the window sash (or movable part of the window).
It’s easy to forget that you may have closed the window but not fully latched it, especially with windows that open and close frequently.
Go around the house and check whether the latches of every window are closed or not. If the latch is broken, replace it with a new latch.
less heating of the house
Underheating is a significant home heating mistake. Although it’s good to keep the thermostat low, it’s possible to maintain Very little,
A house is heated not only by hot air but also by hot surfaces. Walls, ceilings, furniture, and other large, dense objects collect heat during the hottest part of the day. As the air cools, they radiate the heat back into the home.
So, set the thermostat around 64 to 75°F, but avoid going below 64°F.
