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During winter, you’ll likely depend regularly on your heating system to keep your Sacramento, CA home comfortable. Unfortunately, if you keep the heat turned up for many hours a day, it will put quite a bit of wear and tear on your furnace or heat pump. If you don’t take certain measures to take the strain off the appliance and preserve its health, you’ll end up having to replace it sooner than you’d like.
However, if you’re willing to be proactive, you can potentially extend the length of your heating system’s productive life. That way, you can enjoy several extra years of reliable heating before you have to spend money on a replacement unit. These tips will also help your system stay more energy efficient, saving you every month on your utility bill. Here, we’ll look at six of the most effective ways to increase your heater’s life expectancy.
1. Schedule Professional Maintenance Every Year
Scheduling professional heating maintenance is perhaps the most beneficial thing you can do for your home’s heating system. Ideally, you should get your heater tuned up at least once per year, and doing so will provide you and your family with numerous benefits. For one, heating maintenance helps counteract much of your heating system’s wear and tear.
During this service, our technicians will thoroughly inspect your heating unit, look for problems that need addressing, and do anything they can to improve the system’s health and performance. By catching potential problems early, we can address them and prevent further damage. Our technicians also clean and lubricate the internal parts. This allows for smooth and efficient operation of your unit, which reduces the likelihood of serious equipment problems. If your heater can avoid mechanical issues throughout its life, it will stay healthy for longer than if it frequently needed repairs. By scheduling this service each year, you can potentially increase your furnace or heat pump’s life expectancy by up to five years.
2. Give the System Regular Rest
Giving your heating system plenty of rest is essential to giving it a long, healthy lifespan. It’s wise to think about your heating unit in the same way that you’d think about a car’s engine. An engine can only run for so many miles before it wears out, just like a heating system can only run for so many hours before it needs replacing. So, if you have the heat cranked up without breaks for the entire winter, that will inevitably bring the appliance closer to the end of its productive life. However, if you can manage to stay comfortable while only running the heater for shorter intervals, you can minimize the amount of wear and tear that you’re putting on the system.
Consider turning down your heater before you go to bed each night and when no one is home. Over a full winter, these adjustments to your habit can make a real difference in the life expectancy of your heating system.
3. Purchase a Programmable Thermostat
A modern programmable thermostat can offer numerous benefits for your home, one of which is extending your heating system’s life expectancy. They allow you to set a schedule to automatically adjust temperatures at different times of the day, and you can set a different schedule each day.
Smart thermostats offer all the benefits of a programmable thermostat and much more. First, they are Wi-Fi enabled, so you can program via your mobile device from anywhere with an internet connection. They come packed with various features that can help you improve your home’s energy efficiency and maximize the performance of your HVAC system. Another significant advantage of having a smart thermostat is that it will track your household’s energy usage habits, allowing you to identify times when you may be unnecessarily running your heater. Some models offer advanced features like geo-fencing, which detects when you come and go and can adjust the temperature automatically.
Over time, a smart thermostat in your home will improve your heating system’s overall health, performance, and efficiency. These enhancements will accumulate to help maximize the appliance’s lifespan.
4. Install Quality Attic Insulation
If you don’t already have high-quality insulation in your attic, you could increase your heating system’s lifespan by adding some. When your attic is properly insulated, it keeps the warm air from your heater in the lower areas of your house. Without insulation, much of that heat would simply rise to the attic, where a significant amount would escape through the roof. As a result, your heating system would need to work harder and run longer to keep your living space at a comfortable temperature. This unnecessary wear and tear can shorten the appliance’s life expectancy, worsen its overall performance, and increase the risk of a breakdown or malfunction.
When you’re shopping for insulation, one good option is fiberglass batt insulation. This type of insulation is generally affordable, effective, and eco-friendly, making it a great choice for many households.
5. Schedule Regular Duct Cleaning and Inspection
Did you know that the condition of your ductwork can have a major impact on the health of your heating system? When your heat is running, warm air must pass through your home’s air ducts to reach every area of the house. If your ductwork is clean and well-maintained, your heater will have a clear pathway to move warm air around. However, keeping your ducts in great shape requires that you occasionally invest in professional duct cleaning and inspections.
Over time, various contaminants will build up inside your home’s air ducts. These can contain things like dust, dirt, random debris, pest droppings, and even mold spores. Plus, gaps and cracks can sometimes develop in the ductwork, leading to significant air leaks. These problems will force your heating system to work much harder, leading to worsened energy efficiency, inconsistent temperatures around the house, and many other issues. Scheduling duct cleaning or duct repairs with our team at Atticman Heating and Air Conditioning, Insulation can improve the overall health of your HVAC system and increase your heater’s life expectancy.
6. Keep a Clean Home
Throughout your heating system’s lifespan, your home’s cleanliness can significantly impact its health and performance. If you regularly allow your living space to fill up with dust, dirt, and other contaminants, your HVAC air filters will become dirty much quicker. If your heating unit’s air filter becomes clogged, it will put unnecessary strain on the appliance. Not only will this increase your monthly heating costs and reduce your home’s comfort, but it will also cause equipment problems and a shorter lifespan for your heater.
Trusted Heating Professionals in Sacramento
When you need dependable heating services in the greater Sacramento area, you can always count on our team at Atticman Heating and Air Conditioning, Insulation. We are a locally owned and operated business, and we always put the needs of our clients above all else. In addition to our expert heating services, our skilled team can provide cooling, ductwork, whole-house fans, insulation, electrification, and water heater services. Contact us at Atticman Heating and Air Conditioning, Insulation today if you’d like to learn more or schedule an appointment!
