Fan Coil Enthusiasm in Macon

If you prefer to keep your furnace turned up rather than put on a sweater, you don’t have to sacrifice your vacation funds just to stay warm. Perry residents experience great weather for most of the year, but January lows can still average 39 degrees with plenty of cold nights. Rather than manage your wardrobe to accommodate the cold, there are some simple ways you can control your costs.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can cut your energy bill by up to 15 percent just by turning your thermostat down by 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours per day. Your family is probably asleep or away at work or school for longer than that.

A programmable thermostat lets you get energy savings during these times without having the hassle of remembering to turn your furnace up and down or having to wait for your home to heat up again when you return. Simply program in your daily schedule to receive energy savings without ever realizing your furnace was turned down.

Schedule a Furnace Tuneup

You probably know to replace your air filter every month, but that’s not the only maintenance your furnace needs. Your furnace’s blower fan, burners, and other parts also become dirty and lose efficiency. If you use your furnace heavily, parts could come out of alignment and either have their performance reduced or put you at risk of having an expensive problem down the road. Schedule regular heating service to have your system cleaned and inspected to make sure it’s running as cost-effectively as possible.

Consider Replacing Your Older Furnace

Did you know that not all of the energy a furnace uses is converted to heat? A furnace’s Annual Fuel Utilization Ratio (AFUE) tells you how much energy a furnace converts into heat. Currently, furnaces in Georgia are required to have minimum AFUEs of 78 to 83 percent depending on the type. High-efficiency furnaces have AFUE ratings as high as 98.5 percent.

If your furnace is older than 10 to 15 years old (before these efficiency standards were in place), its AFUE could be as low as 56 percent. That means up to 44 percent of your heating costs could be going to waste, and a new, more-efficient furnace could quickly pay for itself in energy savings.

Are you ready to get your furnace primed for efficient performance during the upcoming holiday season, or do you want to get an estimate for a new heating system? Contact Middle Georgia’s home heating experts, Conditioned Air, today.