Maximizing Furnace Efficiency During the Winter

When it’s time to start thinking about winter heating, it’s worth considering an old bit of farm wisdom: The time to repair the fence is before the cows get out. In other words, make sure your home’s furnace is ready to go when the temperatures start to drop. Let’s dive into the topic of maximizing furnace efficiency during the winter. 

Simple Steps to Keep Your Furnace Running Smoothly 

These easy-to-follow habits offer practical ways to avoid overworking your furnace during winter and keep it running efficiently all season long: 

1. Replace or clean your furnace filter: Most pro HVAC technicians agree that changing clogged filters is the No. 1 way to increase furnace efficiency. Ignoring this causes you to burn more costly energy than you need to and increases the odds of inconvenient breakdowns. For the best results, replace your HVAC system filters every 30 – 90 days. 
2. Schedule a professional tune-up: Before winter, consider hiring a pro to come out to address any potential issues with your HVAC system. These technicians will typically clean your burners and heat exchanger, check gas pressure and combustion, inspect your blower motor and belts, and test the overall safety of your system. 
3. Seal air leaks around doors, windows and ductwork: Although not directly part of your furnace, doors, windows and ductwork are common sources of home heat loss in the winter, so you’ll want to make sure everything is buttoned up. Caulking and weatherstripping can make a big difference when closing leaky gaps around windows and doors. Leaky ductwork can be sealed with mastic sealant and foil tape (rated UL-181)—see more about making doors and windows more efficient.
4. Get a programmable or smart thermostat: Only 12% of U.S. households have made the switch to programmable thermostats, which is surprisingly low when we consider that they save up to 10% on the average household’s heating and cooling expenses. Smart thermostats work even better, saving up to 23%, because they automate and optimize temperature settings based on your usage and habits—see more about using smart and programmable thermostats.
5. Keep vents and registers open and unblocked: When a furnace can’t move air freely, it has to work harder to push heat through the system, which increases energy use and wear on your system’s components. Your system is rated and balanced to move specific volumes of air. Upset that balance and it causes overheating and short cycling. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you keep your vents and register free of dust, pet hair and other debris that can prevent airflow. 

Taking Winter Furnace Prep Even Deeper 

If you’re handy and enjoy taking the DIY approach whenever possible, there are even more actions you can take to prepare your furnace for winter: 

• Clean the furnace’s exterior and burner compartment: Turn off the power, remove the front panel and vacuum loose dust around the burners, blower housing and base while avoiding wiring or gas components. A light cleaning helps maintain airflow and supports overall efficiency. 
• Clean the blower fan blades: On models with an accessible blower, shut off power, open the blower compartment and gently brush or vacuum dust from the blades without bending them or disturbing wiring. A clean blower moves air more efficiently and reduces strain on the motor. 
• Check and tighten screws and panels: Make sure the blower door is fully seated. Tighten any loose exterior screws to prevent vibration and keep airflow moving the way it should so the furnace runs more smoothly. 
• Inspect the flame: On gas furnaces, confirm the flame burns steady and blue, noting that yellow or flickering flames may signal dirty burners or combustion issues. And remember that while visual inspection is safe, deeper burner cleaning should be handled by a professional. 
• Clean the flame sensor: If you’re comfortable in your abilities, turn off the power and remove the flame sensor, which is a small metal rod mounted in front of the burner and held in place with a single screw. Gently polish the rod with fine steel wool or a clean abrasive pad and reinstall it because a clean sensor helps prevent short cycling and improves reliability. 
• Lubricate blower motor bearings: On older furnaces with oil ports, add a couple of drops of lightweight machine oil without overfilling to reduce friction and help the motor run more efficiently. 
• Check the condensate drain: On high efficiency furnaces, ensure the drain tube is free of kinks or clogs. Flush it with warm water if needed and confirm it flows properly because a blocked drain can reduce efficiency or even shut the furnace down.

Keeping up with these simple habits protects your furnace from unnecessary wear and helps you stay comfortable without wasting energy when the cold sets in.  

Stay tuned for more helpful blogs like this from Georgia’s highest-rated natural gas provider.