Denver Furnace Tips – Getting ready for cold Colorado Winters
Denver Furnace Tips – Getting Your Furnace Ready For Cold Colorado Winters
The Farmers Almanac is calling for a cold & snowy winter here in Colorado. You may have found yourself realizing that perhaps your home is lacking in some areas regarding heating efficiency. Drafty windows or doors may have been easier to overlook when you spent more time out of the house, but now it’s a more noticeable issue. With warmer weather not too far around the corner now is a good time to address issues that cause inefficient heating scenarios so that come next winter you and your house are ready.
In older Denver homes leaky windows and doors can be shored up with weather stripping or plastic coverings as affordable solutions. If your budget allows, the ideal solution is replacing ill fitting doors and antiquated windows. Nothing says you have to do all of them at once. Many homeowners find that updating windows and doors in phases is affordable and minimizes the inconvenience of managing multiple windows and door upgrades.
If your home has a fireplace be sure to close the flue when not in use. It’s easy to overlook but leaving it open is basically a window left open. Another simple technique for preserving home heat is to open the blinds and curtains on windows during sunny days, especially south facing windows. The solar heat generated will lessen the load on your furnace.
Preventative maintenance is always a prudent practice to avoid unexpected repair and replacement expenses. Scheduling regular inspections of your HVAC system is a simple and affordable option versus a middle of the weekend system breakdown that likely could have been avoided. If you want to make it relatively effortless look into a maintenance service contract with a local HVAC company.
Have a professional inspect your ductwork. Often there are pin holes, gaps and ill fitted seams that can greatly diminish your furnace’s efficiency. The other simple maintenance practice is to replace your furnace filter regularly.
Finally, while the wind is still howling and cooler temperatures prevail, make a note of any and all spots in your house that are a source of air leakage, such as gaps around chimneys, unfinished spaces behind cabinets, utility cutouts, and recessed lighting. A bead of caulk can go a long way to addressing these sources of inefficiency.
