The Winter and Your Heating System
The Winter and Your Heating System.
When a few cold days add up to months, it's time to start thinking about your heating system.
A home's heating and cooling systems are essential and they're built to last. Still, the wear and tear of long winters, especially here in British Columbia, can have a lasting effect on your home's ability to keep the heat in.
Take a look at your records to see when your HVAC system was maintained and, try to dig through old energy bills to figure out if there could be a growing cost that has to do with possible heat loss or a deficient heater.
You even may need to check whether or not your thermostat is working correctly. This isn't just about astronomic heating bills or windows with air leaks but also the possibility of a breakdown of your heating in the winter. If you need to replace your furnace, the best time for that to happen is not when the cold air feels like it's biting your face.
Check your furnace filter or heat pump and make sure it is clean.
Heat pumps and furnaces fulfill the same purpose in the winter: creating warm air to make your home livable.
For a heat pump, cleaning out filters from the indoor part of the pump is something you need to do once a month - or at least in preparation for a coming blizzard or storm. Be prepared though because that will mean turning the pump off, taking out the filters, and cleaning them out before being able to use it again. Proper cleaning is a good idea to keep your pump efficient over time and reduce how much energy it needs to use.
As for the outdoor part of the unit, it's important to keep it clear of snow and ice. Depending on the type of heat pump you have, the cleaning and maintenance can be very different but generally, you want to keep the outdoor part of the heat pump clear of debris (branches, leaves, pebbles). Many heat pumps use air to do their work and obstructions can become a very expensive problem.
For a furnace, the process is very similar. First, you will need to turn off your furnace, let it cool, and find out if the filters are reusable by checking if it has a plastic frame. If it does, then you will be able to clean it and place it back. To make sure everything is where it needs to be, there should be an arrow on the frame of the filter and one on the surrounding area to indicate the flow of air. If the arrows are not there, get a pen or marker to draw it on.
Next, you can simply remove the filter with your hands and clean it with just water. No need for anything special, you're getting dust out. After it's dried, place it back in. Done. It's not rocket science.
Though you may want to save money by using the same reusable filter forever, they also have their own lifespan. Keep a spare one around so that you can swap it in should your old filter fail so that your furnace can keep running smoothly.
If you're unsure about how to go about the cleaning process, there are many video tutorials out there on YouTube and undoubtedly one that applies to the system you have installed - unless you inherited a property with a special custom-built heating system. In that case, you're better off contacting a professional.
Have a professional check out your system.
Efficiency or safety are the keywords when it comes to heating and cooling in a home. Even if you want to save money, the need to keep the heat on during a storm is far stronger.
Every year at least, you should have professionals look at your HVAC systems. After an especially harsh winter or a summer that was too warm for comfort even in your living room, these visits can help you resolve problems with both your energy use and how to add or remove a few degrees for the comfort and safety of your family.
The song and dance aren't just so you feel warmer, a professional can tell you if there are things you can do to your home that may greatly help keep a handle on the indoor temperature. They can give you recommendations about insulation, ductwork, and may even be able to save you a pretty penny when it comes to your heating bill.
Heat loss unrelated to your furnace or heat pump.
Whether you have a gas furnace, use solar panels, or rely on heat pumps, heat and cold move around and through your house constantly.
A window or a door without proper weathering can let cold air in while leaking out warm air. It's almost like leaving all the lights on all night long and complaining about a higher than usual electricity bill.
Take a good look around your house to find out which of your rooms are letting the wrong kind of air inside or if new windows built in the summer are driving your thermostat up the wall. Fixing leaky ductwork for example could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
Adding weathering strips can do a lot of work to prevent cold air from getting into inside spaces.
Even your fireplace can lead to some heat loss (and become dangerous) if it's not cleaned properly and regularly. A fireplace creates "creosote" inside the chimney and if it's not cleaned up can create home fires. There's such a thing as too hot, even in a Canadian winter.
Don't ignore your attic or crawl space.
Consider getting some insulation installed in areas of your home where heat tends to escape easily, such as the attic or crawl space. One of the most overlooked areas of your home is not a room or a window, your money sink could be right above your head.
When it comes to heating, make sure that the insulation of your home is up to pay. You might have a top-of-the-line furnace but windows without weathering or a room where the insulation in the walls has been worn out by a leak are going to take what's inside your wallet and you even get to see it coming.
What is insulation?
Insulation is one of the best ways to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It's a material that is installed in walls and roofs to help keep the indoor temperature comfortable while also saving you money on your energy bill.
There are many types of insulation, but the most common is fibreglass. It comes in rolls or batts and can be easily installed by a professional.
Another type of insulation is spray foam. This is a more expensive option, but it is very effective at stopping heat loss. It can be installed in walls, ceilings, and attics.
Both fibreglass and spray foam insulation are available in R-values, which is a measure of how well they insulate a space. The higher the R-value, the better insulation you will get in your home.
Water leaks from the roof can damage your insulation and open up gaps where heat can escape.
If you suspect that your attic or crawl space may not have the proper insulation, consider having a contractor come and take a look. Even if it appears to be doing its job, there may be places where water is penetrating through the roof and causing damage to your insulation.
Heating issues left by the previous owner.
If you bought a fixer-upper then you need to be aware of your rights. Reserved for only the direst circumstances, you can talk to your real estate agent if you feel like you were deceived by the previous owner for what is legally known as a "material latent defect."
A material latent defect is a problem with the property that was not disclosed to the buyer by the seller. It can be a physical problem with the property, such as a leaky roof, or it can be a problem with the title or ownership of the property.
If you can prove that the previous owner knew about a cold air leak or issues with the windows that create a money pit for you, a problem that could not have been detected by a home inspection before your bought the house, then you may have cause to sue. Be careful though, the cost of the legal fees for something that's hard to prove can be a lot more costly than what you would have to pay for a day of work on your home.
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