When you take care of your stuff, it will last longer. Sometimes it may seem like appliances just don’t last as long as they used to. Yet, you can still prolong the life of your systems. All you have to do is learn how to properly maintain them.

B&L Ott is here to help you with your HVAC maintenance needs. If you ever have questions, contact us directly or check out our blog for HVAC tips. Now that cold weather has finally hit the Reading area, you will be running your furnace. To keep it running at optimum efficiency, be sure to avoid these mistakes.

Forgetting to Seal Up and Insulate Your Home

Making sure your home is sealed and insulated ensure furnace efficiency. When there is a crack in the window, door, or wall, you pay for warm air that you are losing. Before you turn on your furnace, you should inspect your home for air leaks and fix them. Ensure that windows are locked and consider buying draft guards for doors.

You should also insulate your home. If you need new doors or windows, buy thick ones that hold in more heat. Covering your windows with curtains can also add another layer to block the air. Insulating your attic and basement may also be helpful. If you have unfurnished rooms, install drywall over bare walls. When the warm air stays inside, your B&L Ott furnace won’t have to work as hard to heat your Berks County home.

Blocking the Air Vents

Whether you have the heat or the air on, you should avoid blocking vents. Don’t put any furniture, posters, etc. on top of a vent. It blocks air circulation and can cause a warm or cold spot in your home. If possible, you should also try to avoid putting furniture in front of your vents. The more room the air has to circulate, the better. Also, be sure to clean the vents regularly. This ensures that dust and debris won’t block the air.

Forgetting to Change the Filter

Clogged filters can cause more problems than you may expect. If you don’t clean your filter regularly, the filter will become covered in debris. With no exposed fibers to catch the dust, the dirt will get into your system. When this happens, the air in your home will become contaminated with allergens. You may find your family sneezing and getting sick more often. Debris can also interfere with the machinery in your B&L Ott furnace. It can block moving parts and cause malfunctions.

Neglecting Maintenance and Repairs

You should always get your furnace inspected and repaired when you notice an issue. Whether you hear sounds or notice inaccuracies, it is best to get issues checked out as soon as possible. If you neglect problems, they will most likely get worse. You will likely have to pay more for repairs as well.

When you want your system fixed right, call a professional HVAC technician. If you are not sure what you are doing, you may make the issue worse.  When you call B&L Ott, we will help you schedule an appointment as soon as possible. A certified technician will get your furnace back in working order so that your family will be warm.

Setting Your Thermostat Too High

When Berks County temperatures near or drop below 0⁰, it can be tempting to crank your heat up into the 80’s. However, this creates a variety of issues. It may cause your B&L Ott furnace to overwork itself. The higher you set the thermostat, the longer your furnace will have to run.

When your B&L Ott furnace is constantly running, it won’t have a chance to cool down. It will also cause wear and tear on the parts which may lead to more problems. Longer running time also means more expensive bills and a shorter over life for your B&L Ott furnace.

Heating an Empty Home

Do you want to pay to heat an empty home? If your family is not home during the day and you keep your B&L Ott furnace running, you may be wasting energy. You are also paying for heat you aren’t using. You should turn your furnace back while you are not home. Don’t turn it off completely, though. You will end up losing too much heat and pay extra to replace all the heat you lost.

B&L Ott also offers programmable thermostats. A programmable thermostat allows you to create a schedule for your HVAC system. All you have to do is program a schedule and your system will do the rest. It will turn your furnace off when you leave and turn it back on before you return home. A B&L Ott programmable thermostat will save you both time and energy.