Is The Weather Outside Causing Your Furnace To Run Overtime? 4 Helpful Tips
If the weather outside is frightful, i.e. freezing cold out, your furnace inside your home may be running constantly in an effort to keep your house warm. All of this running is going to make your energy bill fairly high, but it can also cause your furnace to wear out from all of that excess running. This can leave you and your family cold and may also cause your pipes to freeze. Read on for tips to help your furnace in those freezing cold temperatures.
1. Don't Over-Adjust The Thermostat
Just because the temperature outside is freezing doesn't mean you should raise your indoor temperature. If you attempt to raise the indoor temperature too high, the furnace is going to run excessively in an effort to keep up with the temperature. Raise the temperature a degree or two, but not any higher than that. If it still feels cold in your home you can cover windows with plastic to prevent drafts, caulk around windows and doors, and make sure all of your windows are locked tightly.
2. Open Up All Vents
Be sure all of the vents in your home are open and free of obstructions. If the vents aren't open, it can cause an issue with the flow of air in your home. You may have colder areas and this can cause your furnace to run in an effort to warm these areas. Also make sure all doors in your home are open to allow for free air flow as well. Move any furniture or belongings that are covering the vents. You need at least a foot of clearance around these vents.
3. Change The Air Filter
If your air filter in your system is coated with dust and dander, it is going to block air flow to your system, which will then cause your system to run overtime. Prevent this from happening by changing the air filter in your system every other month. If your air filter is not changed enough, it may lead to a complete breakdown of the system.
4. Keep Snow Off Of The Intake Pipe
If the snow outside is deep enough that it blocks the intake pipe, it will block the air flow to your system. If this happens it may cause your system to run excessively, or even breakdown the system entirely. Be sure to shovel snow away from this intake pipe and prevent a breakdown.
If the weather outside is keeping you inside more often, you want to be comfortable. If you think there is a problem with your system, call a professional HVAC service to take a look at your system and make any necessary repairs.
