Nothing can cast a chill over your holiday gatherings faster than a faltering or failing heater. Ensuring that your heating system functions at peak performance plays an important role in your holiday preparations. Even a well-maintained heater, however, can’t operate at optimal efficiency when gaps, cracks, and holes in the building envelope allow cold air to infiltrate inside. The following tips can help keep your home warm and cozy throughout the winter season and lower your heating costs as well.
Preventive Heater Maintenance
Scheduling preventive HVAC maintenance is the most cost-effective thing that you can do to make certain that friends and family members are comfortable in your home during the holidays. Heating equipment consists of complex parts and components that must work in perfect synchronization with each other to operate efficiently. A seasonal heater tune-up keeps everything running in peak condition. Any potential problems can often be fixed on the spot, allowing you to avoid the expense of a future emergency repair.
Proper maintenance is particularly important for fuel-burning furnaces and boilers. A number of harmful by-products are created during the combustion process that can corrode parts and cause dangerous fumes to leak into your living spaces. Professional maintenance helps protect the health and safety of your loved ones.
Air Infiltration Solutions
The last thing that you want when sitting down for a holiday dinner is a cold draft sweeping through the room. Air infiltration not only compromises your comfort but forces your heater to run longer, driving up your heating costs. Use these tips to plug up the air leaks:
- Weather-strip windows and doors.
- Use caulk to seal gaps around utility conduits in exterior walls.
- Seal up holes in attic floors
- Ensure that your attic is adequately insulated.
- Keep your fireplace dampers closed when not in use.
- Have your HVAC ductwork pressure-tested for leaks.
Replace Outdated Heaters
Today’s modern heaters are not only significantly more energy-efficient than older models but deliver a higher level of comfort as well. Features like variable-speed fans allow HVAC systems to react and adjust to heating demands automatically. Instead of intermittent blasts of hot air, you’ll enjoy an even distribution of gentle warmth while conserving energy too. If your heater is more than ten years old, chances are you’ll save money with a high-efficiency replacement.
As a family-owned and operated business, Lex Air Conditioning & Heating is committed to ensuring that your loved ones enjoy the highest level of comfort during the holidays and in every season. Whether you need maintenance services, an emergency repair for a broken heater, or a high-efficiency replacement, you can count on our HVAC experts for affordable and effective solutions.
