Congratulations! You’ve invested in a new furnace installation and should be able to look forward to many years of toasty winter warmth in your home, while keeping a lid on your monthly bills.
Modern furnaces can last longer than 20 years if you look after them, even in Calgary’s testing climate.
Understanding how to care for your furnace and get the most out of it can help raise comfort levels and lower bills. It will also reduce the likelihood of furnace repair bills eating into your finances and maximize the life of your furnace.
So, let’s find out what you should be doing…
How Do You Make the Most of Your New Furnace?
The following 10 tips apply regardless of the brand, model, or efficiency level of the furnace you’ve purchased.
1. Register Your Furnace Warranty
The first step after purchasing a new furnace is to register the warranty with the manufacturer within the specified timeframe (often 60–90 days).
Typically, manufacturer warranties for furnaces in Canada are:
Registering your furnace ensures that covered parts are replaced at no cost during the warranty period. Labour costs are typically not included unless covered by your installer’s labour warranty or an extended protection plan.
2. Learn the Optimal Thermostat Settings
The thermostat is the control centre of your HVAC system.
Programmable and smart thermostats are increasingly used in Alberta homes. Understanding what’s possible with these devices and how to optimize settings can help you get the most out of your new furnace.
Smart thermostats can be controlled remotely through smartphone apps. Learning more about the settings can help you optimize furnace usage by:
TIP: Lower the thermostat’s temperature by 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit when you go to bed. Over time, this will provide significant energy and cost savings on bills, as well as reducing wear and tear on furnace parts.
MAKE THE RIGHT HEATING & COOLING DECISIONS…
For over two decades, Alberta Mountain Air has helped Calgarians solve heating and cooling problems and maintain ideal comfort levels. Get in touch online for a quote.
3. Change or Clean the HVAC Air Filter Regularly
If your home has a central HVAC system, a single air filter usually ensures that the air circulating through the ductwork out vents is clean and free of dust, pet dander, and other unwanted particles.
To ensure the filter does its job properly, while maintaining good airflow through the HVAC system, it must be clean.
You should:
Filter changes should be more frequent if you have pets or allergy sufferers in the home, or if a construction site is nearby.
Neglecting the HVAC filter between annual maintenance calls can harm indoor air quality and impede airflow. This often leads to severe performance issues and poor furnace/AC efficiency.
TIP: Find out which way the furnace filter should go here.
4. Schedule Annual Professional Maintenance
Protecting your new investment with annual furnace maintenance from an HVAC professional should be a non-negotiable in Calgary.
Even high-quality new furnaces need an annual tune-up, ideally before winter sets in. No family wants to be without heating in the depths of winter.
Heating systems have multiple components that work hard and will degrade over time without proper care and attention. Annual furnace maintenance extends the life of your system and prevents unnecessary repairs. Find out more about the benefits of regular HVAC maintenance here.
Your HVAC service technician will:
5. Keep Vents and Registers Unobstructed and Clean
Blocked vents impede airflow and can cause the heating system to struggle. This will reduce energy efficiency, increase monthly bills, and cause parts to wear out over time.
Keep vents clear of furniture, boxes, rugs, heavy curtains, and clutter, all of which can reduce air circulation in the home and lead to furnace issues.
TIP: For an extra layer of efficiency in your HVAC system, occasionally remove the vent covers and use a vacuum cleaner extension to clean inside the vents.
6. Seal Drafts and Improve Home Insulation
If your home is heating up only for the warm air to escape through gaps and be replaced by cold air from outside, it’s not energy efficient. It will also cause your new furnace to work harder than necessary, potentially shortening its life.
Many older homes in Calgary suffer from poor insulation problems. You can improve these and get the most out of your furnace by:
7. Clean the Inside of the Furnace
A professional service will clean your furnace thoroughly—and that should be a priority at least once a year. In between services, however, it’s also a good idea for attentive homeowners to lightly clean the inside of the furnace.
Remove the access panels from the front of the furnace, and use the vacuum extension to clean any surface soot, dust, and debris that has accumulated inside.
8. Keep the Furnace Area Clear
Wherever your furnace is located (in the basement of most Calgary homes), the area around it should be kept clear of clutter.
This includes:
Clutter located close to the furnace can impede airflow and may become a fire hazard.
Try to keep at least a few feet of free space around the furnace’s footprint. This will be safer and healthier for your furnace, while also providing convenient access for HVAC service technicians.
TIP: Check out these other furnace safety tips, which can help you look after your furnace and protect your family at the same time.
9. Consider Using a Humidifier
One of the biggest challenges homeowners face during Calgary winters is the dry indoor air caused by cold outdoor temperatures and the constant heating from furnaces.
Many homeowners don’t realize that maintaining proper indoor humidity can help their furnace operate more efficiently. When humidity levels are too low, the air feels colder than it actually is.
Comfort is closely tied to humidity. Dry air causes moisture to evaporate more quickly from your skin, making you feel cooler. Air with balanced humidity holds heat better and feels warmer at the same temperature.
By raising indoor humidity to comfortable levels, you can:
There are a couple of options for home humidifiers in Calgary:
- Whole-home humidifiers: Installed directly into your HVAC system to automatically control humidity throughout the house.
- Portable humidifiers: Stand-alone units designed to increase humidity in individual rooms.
10. Watch Out for Unusual Furnace Noises or Smells
Just because your furnace is in the basement of your home doesn’t mean that out of sight should be out of mind.
Inspecting the furnace from time to time should be on every homeowner’s to-do list.
Regular inspections can help flag problems early and prevent major issues from developing.
Learn what the normal sounds and smells are, and watch out for anything out of the ordinary, like a buzzing furnace or burning smells.
If you notice anything abnormal, you can troubleshoot your furnace before calling an HVAC professional, if necessary.
FINAL TIP: Work with a Trusted HVAC Company to Get the Most Out of Your Furnace
A brand-new furnace is generally a very worthwhile investment but only if you’re willing to give it the proper care that it deserves.
All HVAC professionals at Alberta Mountain Air are SAIT-certified and can help you take care of your new heating system. If you’re in Calgary, contact us online to start working with a trusted, local HVAC company.
