During the colder months, there is no doubt that heating your home uses more energy and costs you more money than all the other systems in your home. According to Energy Saver, statistics show that heating contributes to about 42% of your utility bill. This amount can be significantly reduced if you ensure that your furnace is working properly in winter. Here are seven steps to prepare your furnace for winter.

Perform a Visual Check

The first thing you will want to do is to perform a visual check of the furnace area to ensure that there are no flammable items near it. The area must be clear and open. Leaving flammable items near the furnace can cause fires.

Remove the Front Panel

After the visual inspection, take off the front panel and check to see if everything inside is in order. You might be surprised to see rodent nests inside. It's important to clean the inside gently with a vacuum cleaner so you can remove dust.

Check the Ductwork

You will also want to inspect the ductwork and see if there are any air leaks. If you notice anything, seal them with a liquid sealant or heavy-duty aluminum foil tape. If you aren't sure you can do it on your own, that will be the time to consider hiring furnace contractors.

Sort Out Register Blockages

It's important to ensure that your furnace's register blockages are cleared. If you have furniture sitting in front of the heating registers, it must be removed. This will prevent heat from warming up the living spaces. Eventually, you will have to crank the furnace up, and this will strain the system.

Replace the Furnace's Water Panel

This is probably a job for furnace contractors. The water pane, or humidifier pad, is a component that ensures you have adequate humidity to prevent your indoor air from being excessively dry. Once the panel is replaced, the relative humidity must be set between 35 and 45 percent.

Clear the Intake Pipe

Modern furnaces are more efficient. However, for them to perform properly, they need an external intake pipe for their air supply. It's important to ensure that this pipe is not clogged as this will impact the efficiency of the furnace and cause carbon monoxide accumulation.

Set the Thermostat for Winter

To boost your home's energy efficiency, you must set your thermostat or home automation system for the winter. You must avoid cranking the furnace up too much as this will use more energy. Instead, try and ensure that there are no discrepancies between the indoor and outdoor temperatures.

These are some of the things that you should do to prepare your furnace for winter. It's also best to hire furnace contractors to ensure that everything is in working order. Contact us today if you need help preparing your furnace for winter.