Reduce heating system overwork with these 8 tips

Your heating equipment has worked hard this winter to keep your family safe and warm in your home.

That hard work is a good and necessary thing – after all, keeping you warm is your furnace or boiler’s job. But sometimes your heating equipment works a little too hard – and that overwork will usually lead to unexpected heating equipment repairs and other problems somewhere down the line.

Your best bet to avoid unwanted service calls, of course, is to lighten the load on your heating equipment. But what is the best way to do that?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Get an assist from the sun – Leave curtains and blinds open during the day to absorb solar heat. Just make sure to close them at night to keep that heat in. Window treatments can also aid in helping regulate hot and cold temperatures in your home.
2. Make sure warm air is circulating – Free up vents and baseboards from curtains, furniture, and other obstacles so that the air you paid to heat gets into your actual living spaces.
3. Weatherize – Older homes are notoriously drafty, but Inexpensive measures like caulk, weather stripping, and door sweeps can be surprisingly effective in keeping air leaks at bay.
4. Mind your air filter – A clogged air filter is one of the main causes of heating equipment overwork and inefficiency. Air filters should be replaced seasonally or a minimum of twice a year at very least!
5. Add insulation – Most homes in our region, especially older ones, are under-insulated in their attic, walls, floors, and crawl spaces – a problem that could cost you 15 percent or more on your energy bill. Invest in insulation to meet R-Value recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy. Be sure to visit MassSave for residential rebates on insulation today, at: https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/residential-rebates/.
6. Cover hardwood and tile floors – Adding rugs and other fabrics to cold surface areas can help prevent heat from escaping through your floor. 
7. Service your heating equipment – Professional heating maintenance is one of the keys to preventing wear and tear on your heating equipment; a skilled technician can address potential problems discovered, and make appropriate repairs during your annual maintenance, which can aid in avoiding problems – like an unexpected heating system breakdown, for example.

If you haven’t had professional heating maintenance in the last 12 months, pick up the phone and give us a ring – we’ll have your system running at peak performance in no time! Schedule a service call from the pros at Frank Lamparelli, today.