January 4, 2022
Heater Checklist in Hanover, MD

As we approach another year, it’s time to think about your new goals. If you’re a homeowner, you may want to set goals regarding your household. A great area to focus on is your heater to ensure that it’s working efficiently so that you can better manage your energy and fuel bills.

Join an Annual Maintenance Plan

Probably one of the most essential tasks that you have as a homeowner in regards to your heating system is making sure that it gets professional maintenance every year. This cleans up your unit and ensures it’s working efficiently. Additionally, it allows you to be alerted of any foreseeable problems so that you can plan a fix on your own time. Remembering to schedule annual service can be a real pain. Instead, opt for joining an annual maintenance plan so that your HVAC service provider can remind you when it’s time for heater maintenance.

Check Your Air Filter More Often

Look anywhere online, and you’ll find many recommendations stating that your air filter should be changed every three months. The problem with this is that every home is going to be different. Homes with lots of pets, young children, and a lot of foot traffic are going to need their HVAC’s air filters changed more often than other homes.

A good habit to get into is to check your air filter every few weeks. Whenever you can’t see through it, replace it. You’ll want to keep a few air filters on hand so that you can change a clogged one immediately.

Don’t Ignore Unusual Noises and Smells

When your heating system is working effectively, you shouldn’t be able to smell anything odd or hear any unusual noises. However, when something is amiss, your heating system will alert you by having an odd noise or smell. Don’t ignore this alert, as the problem could end up creating more damage to your system over time. And, more damage typically results in a higher repair bill.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

If you have a dial thermostat, it’s time to throw it out and replace it with an updated model. Both programmable and smart thermostats are great options. They both allow you to set the temperature for every day of the week and hour of the day. This means you can lower your household temperature during the workday when no one is at home. Then, you can raise the temperature back up just before you arrive home. This way, you arrive home to a nice, warm house.

If you opt for investing extra money in a smart thermostat, you can enjoy even more convenient features. These thermostats can be easily controlled via an app on your smartphone, which means you can adjust the temperature setting in your home when you’re not actually there. Additionally, they have eco modes that will learn your previous heat usage activity and make recommendations on how to best save energy with alternative settings.

Actively Keep Those Drafts Out

If you’ve ever walked by a door or window in your home to feel an icy cold draft, it’s likely that you thought about fixing it. However, if you’re like most homeowners, you haven’t got around to it yet. Make it your new year’s resolution to proactively get rid of those unwanted drafts throughout your home. Using weatherstripping, door snakes, and door sweeps are all great options to block cold air from drafting into your home.

Bump up Your Insulation

If you moved into an existing home, its insulation might not be up to the recommended level in your area. Do yourself a favor and evaluate the insulation in your attic. If it’s below the recommended R-value for your region, then upgrade it. If you know that some exterior walls in your home lack insulation, consider having foam insulation added. The more insulation you have, the more significant barrier you’ll have to keep the cold air out.

Assess Your Air Vents

There are air vents that run throughout all the rooms of your home. Their jobs are to deliver warm air and remove cold air. For these vents to work efficiently, there needs to be open space around them. Unfortunately, homeowners tend to put objects and furniture in front of these vents without even realizing it. Do yourself a favor and assess the air vents in your home at least once a month. Any obstructions that are blocking the free flow of air around these vents should be removed immediately.

Clean Your House Frequently

While we all try to clean our homes on a frequent basis, it doesn’t always happen. Rather, cleaning tends to get put on the backburner while we enjoy funnier activities. Unfortunately, the longer you let your home go without cleaning, the more time airborne particles have to get into your ductwork and your heating system. Remember that your vents pull air in on a consistent basis. When you keep your home fairly clean, it will reduce the amount of dust, pollen, and other airborne debris that makes its way inside of your heating system.

Clean Your Vents and Ducting

When you’re sweeping your floor or dusting your coffee table, it can be easy to overlook your air vents. Unfortunately, a lot of dust and other debris can accumulate on the grates of your vent. When you’re undertaking your regular weekly cleaning, take the time to clean your vents.

If your vents pop out, soak them in soapy water. Just make sure to completely dry them before reinserting them into the wall. Otherwise, they can create the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. While you have your vents out, clean up the inside of the ducting that you can reach. Again, remember to make sure they dry out before running your system.

Find the Right Temperatures for Your Comfort Level

When the winter months hit, it can be easy just to revert back to the temperature that you had set last year. The reality is that you should invest the time in testing out different indoor temperatures. Most experts recommend setting your thermostat between 68 and 72 degrees in the winter.

Start with 68 degrees and see how your day goes. If you’re cold, bump it up one degree and go from there. You may currently be running your thermostat at 72 degrees when you’re perfectly comfortable with it at 68 degrees. Having it set at 72 degrees, in this scenario, is simply a waste of your hard-earned money.

Learn More About Your HVAC System

As a homeowner, the more you learn about your HVAC system, the more it’s going to benefit you. From performing easy repair work to determining the right replacement unit to meet your needs, it’s worth the investment. Make it your new year’s resolution to sit down a couple of hours a week and learn about your heating system. Think about learning about the different parts, how they work to produce heat, and new technology for more energy-efficient operation.

Top-Quality Heating Services

Beltway Air Conditioning & Heating provides top-quality heating services for the Hanover, MD, area. Also, let us help you with all of your cooling, ductwork, indoor air quality, and HVAC design needs. Call us today to set up an appointment with our knowledgeable professionals.

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