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Cool Evenings Mean Furnace Time!
MISHAWAKA/FORT WAYNE/PLYMOUTH IN; ST. JOSEPH/NILES, MI — Cooler temperatures at night mean furnace season is coming and there isn’t anything we can do to stop it.
Most people ignore their heating system until it stops working. This isn’t the best way to protect your home, said Home Comfort Experts General Manager Brian West.
Well-maintained equipment saves families money because it is more efficient. A furnace tune-up will more than pay for itself over a year by keeping fuel costs down, he said.
The heat exchanger, the box that houses your furnace fire, develops failures over time. “It isn’t a question of ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ ” West said. Experienced HVAC technicians should check your equipment several times a year, especially if it is more than 10 years old.
Even at low levels, carbon monoxide can make you sick, West said. “Because carbon monoxide poisoning has the same symptoms as the flu, many people do not realize they have been exposed.”
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) cites, “Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires; more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.”
6 Tips to Lower Your Heating Bill
Fuel expenditures for individual households are dependent on the size and energy efficiency of your home and heating equipment, thermostat settings and local weather conditions. However, there are many things you can do in order to keep energy costs down.
Tune Up Your Furnace – Whether you have a gas or electric furnace, it needs to be tuned up regularly. This will help it work at peak efficiency so it uses less energy.
Your furnace’s heat exchanger is one of its most important parts. It can also be the most dangerous. Our technicians film the hidden parts your furnace with a special camera and talk to you about the condition of your heat exchanger.
Repair: Furnaces today have many complex parts, some are digital and many require individual evaluation with specialized testing equipment. The good news is, sometimes just a part needs replaced, not a whole furnace. Keeping the individual parts factory fresh keeps your bills low and your house warm.
Replace: Replacing the furnace is often the best choice if you have an older furnace or higher energy bills. This option is almost always more costly up front, but it often makes more sense than investing major repair money into an older system.
Change the Furnace Filter – Filters typically need to be changed every one to three months to keep your furnace working at top efficiency, saving you money. Furthermore, changing the filter improves indoor air quality.
Seal Leaks and Cracks – The average family wastes about $350 per year because of air leaks. Find and seal up cracks around your home, to save on heating and cooling costs each year.
If you have any other questions about how a furnace tuneup can help keep your family healthy and safe, please contact us at callhomecomfort.com