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Heating Tips

Your York heating system can provide reliable, consistent heat for years, but without proper care and control of the heat you use, it won’t be nearly as efficient as it could. To help you get the most out of your York heating system, here are some tips and tricks.

Proper Insulation

The number one thing you can do to improve the efficiency of your heating system is to make sure your home is properly insulated and sealed up tightly. Since the 1980s, all new homes have been built with much higher standards of insulation. However, older homes and some newer homes built with low quality materials still don’t retain nearly as much heat as they should.

To ensure the heat created by your York furnace or heat pump isn’t lost outside of your home, have your insulation inspected by a professional. The most important areas to check are the door jams, window frames and attic. Your attic in particular is frequently left without proper insulation. Because warm air rises, heat will gather here and pour outside, forcing your York heating system to work overtime to compensate.

Setting Your Thermostat

Another thing you can do to reduce the energy consumption of your York heat pump or furnace is to carefully control the settings of your thermostat. By default, most homeowners set their thermostat to 72°F. However, just reducing your thermostat by two or three degrees will save you a lot of energy, especially during the coldest months of the year. You won’t generally notice the difference at 69°F either.

Another easy way to save money with your thermostat is to upgrade to a digital, programmable thermostat. Older homes tend to have mechanical thermostats that control the heat for the entire home. This means that when you set the thermostat downstairs to 69°F you set it for the entire house, including rooms not in use.

To avoid spending money on heat where it isn’t needed, get a programmable thermostat with zone control. Zone control allows you to set individual temperatures in different rooms of your house. If you want it cooler in your kitchen and warmer in the den, this system lets you to keep it that way.

And with a programmable thermostat, you can reduce the temperature when you’re not home. Better yet, if you know you’ll be home every day at 5:30 p.m., you can set the heat to turn on at 5 p.m. so you’ll be comfortable when you walk in the door, but you won’t have to pay to heat your home all day when you’re not even home.

Close Doors

Even with a programmable thermostat and zone control, heat will dissipate from one room to the next if you don’t close doors. Make sure to close up the door to your basement and any guest rooms you have so heat won’t migrate into them when it isn’t necessary. You should also fully insulate and seal your attic unless it is being used for storage or living.

There’s no reason to heat areas of your home that aren’t currently in use. So, make sure you take extra steps to avoid wasted heat.

Regular Maintenance is a Must

While York heating systems are designed to last, they must also be maintained. Without proper annual maintenance and checkups when you notice problems, even a York furnace or heat pump will wear faster than necessary. That’s why you need to find a York dealer who can perform regular maintenance service on your heating system. This includes cleaning of the coils and blower, duct cleaning, and regular checkups of commonly used parts in your heating system.