Colorado’s cold winters leave most homeowners reliant on their furnace systems to provide heat throughout the season. But battling lower temperatures isn’t as simple as turning on your heating system. Without proper maintenance, your system may contribute to energy inefficiency and safety hazards and lead to costly furnace repairs. To make sure your household stays warm all winter long, here’s some advice for proper furnace care.  

Do:

Schedule professional maintenance.

Before winter starts, hire a trusted HVAC contractor to inspect your furnace. During this tune-up, your technician will clean dirty areas, lubricate moving components, and replace faulty parts. This will reduce the likelihood of a breakdown during the coldest months of the year.

Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

A properly maintained furnace should operate safely. However, this heat source carries a minimal risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire. As such, you should make sure your home has functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace any old batteries.

Use a programmable thermostat.

If your heating bills were too high last winter, consider switching to a programmable or smart thermostat. These devices allow you to dictate a certain time for the furnace to turn on and the temperature. This refined control reduces energy consumption so that you can enjoy lower heating costs.

Don’t:

Ignore dirty filters.

Most furnace filters need to be replaced once every 90 days—or once every 60 days if you have pets that shed. If you don’t replace them on schedule, they can become clogged. In addition to reducing overall air quality, a clogged furnace filter will make your system run harder than necessary, resulting in higher energy bills.

Block airflow.

Before turning on the system, check to make sure all vents are open and not blocked. Obstructing vents will make it more difficult for your home to maintain a stable temperature and will cause the system to run inefficiently. You should also make sure all outdoor exhaust pipes aren’t blocked to ensure dangerous emissions are safely removed from the home.

Put off furnace repairs.  

Whether your equipment is making strange sounds or your heat isn’t as powerful as before, you should get professional furnace repairs at the first sign of trouble. Putting this service off can result in costlier problems down the road, as well as total system failure.

Whether you’re due for furnace repairs or routine maintenance, 1st Choice Mechanical in Arvada, CO, has the resources necessary to keep your system in excellent condition. Serving the Denver community and beyond, this experienced heating contractor knows how to prevent, detect, and fix problems that affect different types of systems. If repairs aren’t enough, this HVAC contractor can also install new equipment that will operate reliably and reduce your energy costs. Visit this heating company online to learn more about their comprehensive care or call (720) 810-7279 to schedule service.