Believe it or not, we’ve already hit the halfway point of this winter. This is a good time of year to stop for a second and think about how well your furnace has been performing so far and to make any necessary adjustments to keep your system running strong for the remainder of the heating season. To help you do that, today we’re going to talk about some specific things you should consider about your furnace’s performance and provide you with some tips for surviving the weeks to come!
How to analyze your furnace’s mid-winter performance
- Check your heating bills.
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- Most utility companies will give you access to your bills from the previous year. If not, check your email and see if you can dig up your bills from last year. Compare those bills with this year’s heating bills and see if there are any significant changes. Although some changes will certainly be attributed to the weather, any huge swings are likely due to efficiency problems with your system. If your bills look abnormally high this year, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing so we can see if there are any issues with your furnace.
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- Tally up your repair calls. How many repair calls have you had to make for your furnace so far this year? If you haven’t had to make any, that’s great! If you’ve had to make multiple calls and your system is 10 years old or older, this might be a good time to consider replacing your furnace so that the rest of winter is more comfortable. Since we suggest replacing your furnace and A/C at the same time, this will also ensure your home is ready to take on the upcoming cooling season.
- Consider your home’s comfort levels. Perhaps the most obvious thing to consider is how warm your home has been this winter. Has your furnace been able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature? Do you have any rooms that are particularly hard to keep warm? Contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing to take care of any comfort issues now so that you can get the most out of your system for the remainder of winter.
What to do to keep your furnace running strong the rest of the season
- Keep changing your air filter.
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- A dirty air filter is responsible for many common efficiency and performance problems with furnaces. To keep your furnace running strong, be sure to check and/or change your filter every month for the rest of the season (and beyond).
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- Seal up your home. Did you seal up your home’s windows and doors at the beginning of winter? If not, there’s still time to do it! Adding weatherstripping to doors and caulking and sealing your windows will not only save energy but also allow your rooms to better contain heat and stay warm.
- Contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing when any issues arise. If at any point you suspect that something’s wrong with your furnace, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing right away. The quicker you call us, the faster your home will be comfortable again and the less likely it will be that the problem will cause other issues with your system.
If you have any questions about evaluating your furnace’s mid-winter performance, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing, your St. Charles, MO, furnace installation and repair contractor. We provide service all over the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley, MO.
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