Originally published in Jan. 25, 2019, updated in January, 10, 2022.
With winter temperatures here, you want your Mobile, Alabama, home to be warm and inviting, but you don’t want to break the bank doing it. Here are a few ways you can help your heating system create a comfortable environment without boosting your heating costs to new highs.
Regularly Replace Your HVAC Filter
Keeping an eye on your HVAC filter is perhaps the easiest way to help your heating system through the winter. When filters become caked with dust and other contaminants, airflow is blocked, and your heating system can’t breathe. Lack of air makes your heating system work harder than it should, leading to a greater likelihood of a breakdown.
Prep Your Home with Weatherizing
It’s hard to say which is worse: cold air coming in around your door or warm air seeping out through your attic hatch. Both problems lead to inconsistent heating, furnace strain, and high fuel bills. Weather stripping and caulking, inspecting insulation for moisture, and controlling ventilation are a few weatherizing techniques that will save you money and energy and help out your heating system.
Reverse Those Ceiling Fans
When ceiling fans are in the heating mode — that means rotating in a clockwise direction — they help redistribute the heated air in your home. Since the heated air is pushed down into circulation rather than allowed to pool on the ceiling, you may be able to lower the thermostat, plus your furnace works less and consumes less energy.
Proactive Service Keeps Your Furnace Fired Up
Of course, the best thing you can do to help your heating system get through the winter is to make sure it’s tuned up and ready to go. Having a furnace breakdown during a Mobile, Alabama, winter is an alarming thought, and it might turn out to be costly. If you haven’t had your heating system tuned-up, it’s not too late. Check out the service plans we offer at Air-Specialty and then schedule your service appointment.