Tag: furnace efficiency

Essential Gas Furnace Safety Tips To Stay Safe For Mid-Winter

As we find ourselves in the midst of the coldest winter months, many of us rely on our natural gas furnaces to help keep our families safe, warm and cozy. While this heating system is a dependable way to heat our homes, there are some simple precautions you can follow to keep every furnace operating safely and correctly with maximum efficiency. Precautions that can also help to avoid potential future issues in your home that can be dangerous and expensive to repair. Check out our easy furnace safety tips below:

Furnace Safety Tip #1 – Inspect Or Change Your Air Filter

It’s important to regularly change out your furnace air filter. A clean furnace air filter helps your furnace work with greater airflow efficiency and prevents the circulation of dust in your home. Dirty furnace filters cause all kinds of problems that are totally preventable, including efficiency, safety and performance issues that can ultimately end in furnace failure. Change your filter every 1-3 months during the winter when your furnace is getting the most use.

Tip #2 – Keep The Surrounding Area Clear Around The Gas Furnace

To minimize the chance of a fire and make sure your furnace is safe for use, keep the areas around your furnace free of clutter. Flammable items like paper, rags, wood scraps, and other flammable liquids should always be kept at a distance and never placed near the furnace.

Tip #3 – Have Your Annual Furnace Maintenance

Have your furnace inspected every year by one of our professional HVAC technicians at Always Plumbing & Heating. An annual check-up to your furnace is vital to ensure your system is working correctly, efficiently and safely. During an annual inspection, our professional and licensed technicians will check for other potential issues like carbon monoxide leaks or issues that could lead to a safety hazard.

Tip #4 – Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors For Gas Leaks

One of the biggest threats to your home and furnace is a carbon monoxide leak. A colorless, odorless gas, you cannot detect high levels on its own. Carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms, confusion and in high-levels even death. Your annual inspection will ensure you don’t have dangerous carbon monoxide levels in your home.

Call us today at Always Plumbing & Heating for all your furnace needs. Our technicians are always available to perform your annual furnace inspection, and also help with any furnace repairs you need right away. We provide 24/7 outstanding service all 52 weeks of the year. If you are having an issue with your furnace, call us today and we will immediately dispatch a technician to your home – even on holidays! All of our repairs are backed by 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, but you can rest assured our furnace installations and repairs will be done right the first time. Call us today at 780-489-8118.

3 Edmonton Furnace Tips (to Improve Indoor Air Quality)

Did you know that turning on your furnace can affect your home’s indoor air quality? If your furnace has not been properly maintained, the first time it is turned on for the Alberta winter, your household becomes susceptible to all the dust and allergens that have accumulated over the warmer summer months. Furnaces, by nature, produce a dry heat. Couple this with a lack of air conditioner treatment in the home and it can quickly have a negative effect on your indoor air quality (IAQ). Follow these tips and avoid costly furnace repairs, as well as damage to your heating system.

3 Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality:

1. Regularly check and change your air filter.

Your furnace filter should be changed before you turn it on for the heating season and then changed at least every 2-3 months. Check your filter every month. If you have pets or are highly susceptible to allergies it may need to be changed more frequently.

2. Regular furnace maintenance and tune-up.

Schedule annual furnace maintenance with a certified HVAC technician. Ideally, this should be scheduled before you turn on your furnace for the heating season. Not only will regular maintenance make your furnace more efficient by reducing its fuel consumption, it will ensure carbon monoxide isn’t leaking into your home and help to prevent break downs during the winter when you need your furnace the most.

3. Consider upgrading to a high efficiency furnace.

If your furnace is more than 10-15 years old, it may save money in the long run to replace it. While high efficiency furnaces can be expensive, the cost associated is offset by lower utility bills and better performance.

High efficiency furnaces reduce indoor air pollution because they do not generate energy from conventional means, such as gas. They also provide more even heating and lower energy consumption making the home more comfortable overall.

Additional Tip: How to Tell If Your Furnace Gives Poor IAQ

Poor indoor air quality isn’t usually noticeable right away. The symptoms may come on suddenly but can easily be mistaken for outdoor allergies or cold symptoms. If the symptoms tend to disappear when you leave for an extended period of time or only appear indoors but not when you’re outside, then it may be a result of poor air quality. If you notice any of the below symptoms when you, your family, or guests enter your home then it may be time to check your IAQ:

  • Dry mucous membranes.
  • Excessively dry skin.
  • Coughing or itchy, dry throat.
  • Nausea or dizziness.
  • Hoarseness or wheezing.

If you notice any of these symptoms in multiple members of your household, then it is most likely due to your home’s indoor air quality. While your furnace may be playing a role in your home’s poor air quality, it can also be used to improve it.

It’s not too late to improve your indoor air quality for the winter! Proper furnace maintenance and staying current on repairs can significantly reduce your family’s risk of getting the flu, colds and allergy and asthma symptoms. This winter, rely on Always Heating & Plumbing for your furnace needs to keep your family happy and healthy! Call 780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253 (Fort McMurray) to schedule an appointment!

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