A cold home in the winter isn’t just uncomfortable, it can be dangerous. Don’t let a cold snap get the best of you or an outdated furnace fail to keep your home toasty when temperatures reach below freezing. Consider these heating tips to keep your home in Colorado warm this winter.
Keep Your HVAC System Maintained
Don’t head into winter without scheduling a heating system maintenance service or performing these basic maintenance tasks. You don’t want to over-work your furnace or prevent a room from receiving warm air due to one of these simple fixes. See what you can do to prepare your system before you turn on your heater in the winter.
Replace the Filter
A furnace is a central heating system that blows warm air through air ducts into each room of your home. All that air is drawn through the air intake air ducts and passed through a filter before it is forced throughout your home.
Your furnace air filter is your first line of defense when it comes to indoor air quality. Unfortunately, many homeowners forget to replace theirs and allow them to build up with airborne debris. Dust, dander, pollen and other debris can block the air from flowing throughout your home.
Replace your air filter at least every three months. Consider replacing it every month or two months with a highly rated filter that matches the dimensions recommended by the manufacturer.
Open All Air Vents
Many homes have air vents that can be opened and closed to adjust the airflow from room to room. Prepare for cold winter days by opening the vents to ensure proper airflow. If you notice one room is too hot or isn’t warming up enough, ask a professional to inspect the issue in your home in Golden or other cities around the Denver area.
Schedule Professional Inspection
At Day & Night Mechanical, we recommend scheduling routine furnace inspections to clean your system and check for any signs of damage. Depending on the age of your furnace, you may wish to schedule an inspection every six months, year or two years. We go through the entire system and offer service recommendations to help avoid a sudden furnace breakdown.
Update Your Thermostat
If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, then you may be spending more on your heating bill than you need to be. Ask about a smart thermostat to see how you can control the temperature setting in your home in a more convenient, energy-efficient way.
A smart thermostat can also improve the safety of your home. As a recognized Nest Pro Contractor team, we install Nest Thermostat units. These units alert you to issues in your home that may be preventing your furnace from maintaining safe temperature levels.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Most homeowners only think about using ceiling fans in the summer months. Using ceiling fans in the winter, however, can help improve airflow throughout the year.
The goal of turning on a ceiling fan in the winter is the same as in the summer. Look for a switch on your fan to change the direction of the motor to draw air upward. This draws up cool air from the floor and helps circulate warm air near the ceiling.
A ceiling fan can’t replace a furnace. You may be able to dial your thermostat down a few degrees to save on heating costs, but you still need to keep your furnace maintained and turned up to a safe, comfortable temperature in Longmont and the surrounding area.
Keep Exterior Vents Clear
This heating tip is a critical safety tip. Your furnace and other natural gas or propane appliances, need to be vented outside your home. These vents could become blocked in the winter with snow, ice or debris. Check any vents that are around the outside of your home to see if they’re clear and ready for use.
Don’t attempt to check vents that exit through your roof. A technician from Day & Night Mechanical Solutions can safely inspect these vents for your home in the Denver Metro area.
Seal Air Leaks
The smallest cracks around your doors, windows and vents can let in a significant amount of cold air. Ask a local HVAC technician for recommendations for sealing air leaks around your home. Some door sweeps are easy to install on your own, but many other air leaks may need to be professionally sealed with caulk.
Follow These Extreme Weather Tips
While it’s rare for Denver to see temperatures below zero, these subzero temperatures come with additional risks. Follow these tips if you’re preparing for a severe winter storm with high wind, low temperatures and the possibility of a power outage:
- Close garage doors
- Keep cupboards with water lines open to reduce the risk of frozen pipes
- Increase the thermostat by a few degrees
- Consider cooking or baking to help heat your home, but never leave the oven or stove on unattended
- Avoid closing and opening exterior doors, if possible
Schedule an HVAC Maintenance Service in the Denver Metro Area
Stay warm this winter with these safety and energy-efficiency tips for your home in the Denver area. Contact us at Day & Night Mechanical Solutions to request a professional maintenance service or to learn more about year-round HVAC maintenance tips.
