Don’t Forget About Your Furnace This Holiday

Christmas is right around the corner. In the hustle and bustle of this holiday season, do not forget to
give your HVAC the attention it needs to keep your home comfortable for you and your guests.

As your holiday to-do list grows, your Thornton HVAC system should be the last thing to worry about on that list.
Use these tips to maximize the operational efficiency of your furnace so that the only thing you need to
worry about this Christmas are the baked goods in your oven.

Preventive maintenance

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for HVAC contractors. If your furnace breaks,
you may have to endure increased wait times until a repair technician arrives.

Enlist the help of an Thornton HVAC contractor to proactively inspect your home heating system. Have your
furnace inspected at the start of the Winter season to ensure that the system is clean and in good
working condition. More importantly, your Thornton HVAC repair technician will confirm that your furnace is not
leaking poisonous carbon monoxide into your home.

Unblock the vents

During this time of the year, most people are busy re-arranging the furniture and adding Christmas
decorations to make their home welcoming and festive. While this is taking place, people may not
realize that a holiday decoration, piece of furniture, curtain, or rug could be blocking an air vent.

When the air vents are blocked, warm air will be trapped and have a difficult time circulating into the a
room. This may cause you to be tempted to crank up the heat. Excessive heat thermostat settings can
cause the heat exchanger to overheat. Make sure there is at least one or two inches worth of clearance
in front of every air vent to avoid trapped warm air that could be used to efficiently heat your home.

Replace the air filters

This is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to make sure that your furnace runs smoothly and
efficiently not only in the Winter months but all year around. Unfortunately, most people do not realize
the important of keeping a clean filter in their furnace on a regular basis. In reality, a new air filter
generally costs less than $5.00 and the process to replace them is simple.

Replacing your air filter every month to three months will help reduce the number of airborne
contaminants floating in your home and will reduce the risk of allergies and asthma attacks. It will also
help extend the life of your HVAC equipment. Make it a habit to change your air filters as needed.

Install a carbon monoxide detector

Carbon monoxide is a sneaky and toxic gas that is impossible to identify without a carbon monoxide
detector. It is an odorless and colorless gas that can be lethal to humans and animals. When exposed to
this toxic gas, it creates harmful health effects. Heavy exposure can be lethal. This is why it is often
referred to as a silent killer.

If you have a furnace, a boiler, a space heater, or a fireplace, it is critical that you install carbon
monoxide detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide detectors will protect you and your loved ones
against carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to install one on each floor of your home to ensure that the detection alarm will be heard from anywhere in the home. Test the detector once a week to ensure
that the detector is working. Always ensure the batteries are fresh and not expired. As a rule of thumb,
replace your detector if it is more than five years old.